Murder by Turnip
Plot points/Scenes
The adventure begins with the PCs traveling to Qosx in the caravan of Herwig Garbith, a Dwarf merchant who agreed to take them on as passengers. Just outside town, the caravan is attacked by a Pack of Wolves, the vicious leader of which spews acid.
Arriving in town after helping to save the caravan, the characters are invited to dinner by Herwig, who wishes to reward them for their valor. While enjoying dinner with the PCs, Herwig is poisoned, dying within moments from a virulent toxin hidden in his food. The local sheriff, Golth Harley, is out of his depth and insists on holding the caravan in town until the scheduled arrival of a circuit judge a month in the future. But the heroes have a chance to investigate the murder and they explore the town, talking to everyone who was present for the poisoning. Eventually, it becomes clear that Gnalter, the goblin kitchen assistant, poisoned the food. He quickly confesses once apprehended but insists he thought he was only putting a special spice in the food, not poison. Further questioning reveals that Dhallo Bhadim, the town bully, coerced him.
Dhallo’s hideout reveals that he is more than he seems. The town bully is in fact an agent of Allisa, who pays him with gold and doses of an addictive mutagen. Defeating Dhallo may help the town and clear the names of everyone involved with the merchant’s death, but it leads the heroes no closer to Allisa, who ordered the murder. In fact, Dhallo hasn’t seen Allisa in over a year. The goods and supplies he acquired for her were always delivered to a prearranged drop spot in a hollow stump.
Structure
Exposition
The adventure begins as the caravan travels East then Northeast from Dabadrud, an old trade hub from the days of Augustinian rule, The road they are on connects to Khor, the capital of Augustia, on a road between the Mitanoron Coast and the Pentaregnum Mountains. Herwig Garbith is a dwarf trader from the Pentaregnum Mountains, welcome in many settlements for his fair prices and gregarious spirit, and he has been using this route for years. The caravan consists of six covered wagons, four of which are laden with supplies, trade goods, and trinkets.
Herwig makes his home in the lead wagon and the cabin built onto its back, while the final wagon is for passengers and the cook. The PCs are all passengers in this caravan, though if one of them has the Teamster background, they might be working for it instead, driving the final wagon. They share the last wagon with the food, the camp chef Cooky, and a couple of other passengers. The travelers do not necessarily know each other at the start of the adventure, although some of them could be acquainted. None of them are particularly familiar with Herwig, the caravan master, or any of the other teamsters. The caravan is less than a day away from the town of Qosx and expects to arrive by nightfall so that the weary travelers can at least enjoy one night in town, sleeping in a real bed before pushing on to the next leg of the journey to Hrafjord.
approach the wagon containing the PCs. At the end of the first round in which a mangy wolf is killed, the Caustic Wolf emerges from the forest to join the fight
Caustic Wolf
; it howls the moment it is near the characters. Once the caustic wolf is slain, all other wolves (including any fighting the PCs) flee into the woods.
It has been three days since you left Dabadrud, climbing into the back of one of Herwig Garbith’s wagons bound for the faraway Augustian capital of Khor. The smiling caravan master cut your travel cost to only a handful of coppers, so long as you promised to protect the wagons should any trouble arise. Fortunately, your journey through the hinterlands of Savaria has been quiet, even if the ride itself has been far from comfortable. As you broke camp this morning, Herwig announced you should arrive at the town of Qosx by nightfall, and he promised a comfortable bed for the night as a reward for a long day’s travel. The caravan’s teamsters shared a chuckle between them, trading knowing glances and subtle nods, but soon enough you are on the road again, the wagon bouncing and creaking along the uneven trail.At this point, allow the characters to introduce themselves to one another and describe their appearances. This is also a good time to briefly describe the other members of the caravan and the countryside through which they travel. This part of Savaria is sparsely populated, consisting of small rural farms and isolated communities. It is a temperate land, with frequent light rains and the rich smell of damp earth wafting on the pleasant breeze. The trail winds its way through the lowlands, passing along streams and through small forests. The game in this area has only recently recovered after years of war drove it into hiding. If pressed about their behavior after Herwig’s announcement, the teamsters quietly explain that the accommodations in Qosx are hardly better than the ground outside, and the smell is even worse. Except for Glunda, they all refer to the town as “Pox” due to the virulent plague that nearly wiped out the community 20 years ago, although none are so rude as to use that name in front of the locals. Late in the afternoon, the caravan is attacked!
Mangy Pack
“Up ahead is Pox,” Keldaran shouts from the front of the wagon. No sooner does the call fade from his lips than it is overshadowed by a series of long, mournful howls emanating from the woods to either side of the caravan. Moments later, you hear cries of panic as a pack of mangy wolves descends from the forest with teeth bared!This attack occurs while the caravan is still half an hour from town and far from aid.
Creatures
Although there are over a dozen Wolves attacking the caravan, only three
Mangy Wolf - Creature -1
COMMONGREEN BLACKMEDIUMANIMAL
 | |
| Perception | +5 ; low-light vision, scent (imprecise) 30 feet |
| Skills | Acrobatics Trained , Stealth Trained |
STR +1 , DEX +2 , CON +0 , INT -4 , WIS +1 , CHA -2 | |
| AC | 15 |
| Saving Throws | Fort +4, Ref +6, Will +3 |
| HP | 8 |
| Speed | 35ft |
| Melee |  Jaws: +6 / +2 / -2 Damage: Piercing + Fleas |
| Special Abilities | Fleas: Anyone bitten by a mangy wolf is sickened 1 for 1 minute unless they succeed at a DC 14 Fortitude save, but they can spend an Interact action to scratch away the fleas and remove the condition. |
| Fall of Plaguestone p5 | |
Caustic Wolf - Creature 2
UNIQUEGREEN BLACKMEDIUMANIMAL
 | |
| Perception | +8 ; low-light vision, scent (imprecise) 30 feet |
| Skills | Acrobatics Trained , Intimidation Expert , Stealth Trained , Survival Expert |
STR +2 , DEX +4 , CON +2 , INT -4 , WIS +2 , CHA -2 | |
| AC | 18 |
| Saving Throws | Fort +8, Ref +10, Will +6 |
| HP | 30 - Immunities Acid |
| Speed | 35ft |
| Melee | Jaws: +11 / +7 / +3 Damage: Piercing + Acid and Knockdown |
| Special Abilities |  Acid Breath: The wolf unleashes a stream of bright green acid from its mouth, coating all creatures in a 30-foot line. All creatures in the line take 3d6 acid damage (DC 16 basic Reflex save). The caustic wolf cannot use this ability again for 1 minute.
Howl: The wolf unleashes a terrifying howl, allowing it to Demoralize all enemies within 30 feet. Wolves within 100 feet can spend a reaction to join the howl, causing the effect to emanate from them as well. This affects additional enemies within 30 feet of them and uses the caustic wolf’s Intimidation check with a –4 circumstance penalty. Enemies cannot be affected by the howl more than once, even if they are near more than one howling wolf. All creatures targeted by this effect are temporarily immune for 24 hours |
| Fall of Plaguestone p5 | |
First Fight
As the battle with the wolves is the first time the PCs have entered battle, it is important to take your time and ensure that the combat is fun and engaging. The mangy wolves do not present much of a threat, but the caustic wolf is a dangerous foe that can seriously hurt the player characters. Fortunately, the wolves do not use effective tactics. They do not intentionally move into flanking positions, nor do they single out weak characters. The caustic wolf uses his howl early in the fight and his acid breath only once he has been damaged. Should the fight turn against the players, Olf and Ulf might show up to draw the wolves off for a round or two, giving the PCs a chance to regroup. Most importantly, emphasize the sights, sounds, and smells of the fight. The wolves snarl with hunger and smell like filthy hounds. The mud flies when characters charge across the damp trail. Fangs tear nasty wounds, and warhammers crunch bones. Play up any critical hits and exaggerate the failures. Make sure everyone’s first fight is one they will vividly remember.After the Fight
Herwig and Kenza inspect the caravan to make sure everyone is okay. When the wolves charged in, they spooked the horses pulling the wagons. While the teamsters kept them from bolting during the attack, the rear wagon was pulled several feet off the trail into the muck, making it nearly impossible to move. This had no effect on the fight itself, but it does prevent the wagon from moving on. Kenza discovers this problem and calls upon Olf, Ulf, and the PCs to find a solution. To get the wagon moving again, at least two PCs must help, although it will be easier if more assist. Everyone helping on this task must attempt a DC 15 Athletics check. As long as two PCs succeed, the wagon gets moving again without incident. If fewer than two succeed, the wagon still gets moving, but any PC that failed is fatigued by the effort. Anyone that critically fails the check is fatigued as well. Meanwhile, Herwig checks on everyone’s health. Olf and Ulf sustained minor injuries which they play up as much more serious, but everyone seems to be alive and well. Herwig sees what the PCs accomplished and thanks them profusely. He offers to buy them dinner in town later as a reward and promises to regale them with tales of his adventures.Conflict
Arriving in Qosx
After dealing with the wolves and getting the wagon back on track, the caravan is free to continue to Qosx . The journey takes only an hour, and the wagons roll into town a few hours before dusk. All of the wagons head for the Millstone, the only inn and tavern in the small community. Most of the simple wood-and-thatch homes in Qosx look identical to one another and are in a similar state of disrepair. A number of the houses clearly look abandoned, their roofs collapsed. If the characters ask about this, anyone in the caravan can tell them the community suffered heavily from the plague 20 years ago and has never fully recovered. As they pass through the middle of town, the wagons go around the ancient Rock of Mercies, a large, flat, cylindrical rock standing 2 feet high, with a hole in its center and a bowl-shaped depression off to one side. When the plague ran rampant, the townsfolk left food for the sick in the bowl, while the sick left coins in the center hole (which was filled with vinegar to cleanse the coinage of contamination). Today, the stone is nothing more than a moss-covered relic, although the villain in this adventure has deadly plans for it. Upon arrival, the teamsters secure the caravan for the night while Herwig travels around town to conduct business with the crafters and families that call Qosx home. This leaves the PCs to explore the Millstone and get to know some of the more colorful members of the community. become familiar with them so that you can represent the townsfolk if the PCs talk to them.Notable Meetings
The first character that the players are likely to meet is Idora Oxta, the stable hand at the Millstone. She greets them when the caravan arrives and immediately worries about the condition of the horses. Soon after, the PCs meet Thelma Proust and the rest of the staff at the Millstone. Notably, the goblin Gnalter is particularly shy around newcomers, even if one of them is also a goblin. The first time the characters enter the taproom of the Feedmill, they find it empty of customers save for Hallod—a gigantic, brutish human man. Gnalter is serving him food and drink, squeaking whenever Dhallo demands another round. PCs that try to talk to Dhallo find he has little to say aside from offering curt, insulting replies. Shortly thereafter, he finishes his meal and leaves. If anyone asks the staff about him, they say that Dhallo is a bit of a bully around town, but it is simple enough to stay out of his way.Bar Brawl
In the early evening, Herwig returns to the Millstone and invites the characters to supper. He has reserved a table upon the dais next to Fardis, the town’s bard, who is tuning his instrument just as the meal is served The rest of the Feedmill is full of local farmers, as well as a few notable characters. Ranken and Trip are serving the guests tonight, while Thelma tends bar and Mona is busy in the kitchen. Gnalter can be seen doing odd jobs all over, but once dinner begins, he spends most of his time helping Mona in the kitchen. By the time dinner starts, Sir Louis is deep into his cups, leaning back dangerously in his chair, while Farmer Maffit is busy gambling and getting drunk with Olf Keldaran and Ulf Keldaran. As the first dishes come out (wild game and roasted turnips with a side of burnt seed cake, coupled with watery turnip ale), Herwig is busy asking the PCs where they are from and where they are going, and telling some of his fabulous tales Herwig's Tales(see the Bort’s Tales sidebar on page 54)
Herwig’s poisoning is a mystery central to this adventure, and for everything to go as planned, you should ensure a certain amount of chaos and confusion in the moments leading up to his death. The bar fight, no matter how short, is a distraction that ensures the PCs lose track of the various suspects. It’s particularly important who is present and who goes missing during the fight and its aftermath.
Present for Dinner: Millstone staff (Mona, Thelma, Ranken, Gnalter, Trip), town locals (Farmer Maffit, Fardis the Bard, Sir Louis, 14 local farmers), caravan members (Herwig, Olf, Ulf), the player characters.
Leaves During the Fight: Thelma, Sir Louis, Gnalter, Trip.
Arrives After the Fight: Golth Harley, Kenza; Thelma returns with Golth
Creature
Toward the end of the meal, just as a dessert of warm turnip porridge is being served, Ranken accidentally bumps into Farmer Maffit as he is sitting down with another ale, causing the farmer to spill all over himself. Maffit stands up and starts yelling at poor Ranken. Seconds later, Maffit begins throwing punches and knocking over tables, and a bar fight erupts in the common area of the tavern. During the fight, the entire common area of the Millstone turns to chaos as a dozen drunken farmers
Drunken Farmer - Commoner -1
COMMONGREENMEDIUMCOMMONERHUMANHUMANOID
 | |
| Perception | +2 |
| Languages | Common |
| Skills | Athletics Trained , Farming Lore Trained |
STR +3 , DEX +1 , CON +1 , INT +1 , WIS +0 , CHA +1 | |
| Items | durable farm clothes (counts as padded armor) |
| AC | 13 |
| Saving Throws | Fort +5, Ref +3, Will +2 |
| HP | 16 |
| Speed | 25ft |
| Melee | Fist: +5 / +1 / +3 Damage: Bludgeoning Non-Lethal
Chair: +3 / -2 / -7 Damage: Bludgeoning Non-Lethal
|
| Ranged | mug: +1 / -4 / -9 Damage: Bludgeoning Non-Lethal |
| Fall of Plaguestone p8 | |
A Meal to Die For
After the brawl, Herwig invites the characters back to the table to finish their meal and enjoy a round of drinks. Dessert was served before the fight began, and Bort proclaims to all that the turnip porridge here is his favorite, which explains the extra-large bowl of it sitting before him. In fact, his bowl is unique in more ways than one—it’s also poisoned.Poisoned Dessert
Just a few minutes into his dessert, Herwig begins to cough and choke. Playing this off as a bit of indigestion, he continues whatever tale he was in the middle of telling. A few moments later it is clear, as the coughing returns, that he is in distress. He begins to turn purple and his mouth begins frothing. Seconds after, his eyes roll into his head and a rumble can be heard in his guts. Mere moments thereafter, he collapses onto the table and dies. The characters might attempt to aid him using Medicine. DC 14determines that Bort is not choking on anything, but that his windpipe has swollen shut, indicating that he has been poisoned.
Violet Breath - ITEM 6
ALCHEMICALCONSUMABLEINGESTEDUNCOMMONVIRULENTPOISON 6
Usage Exploration;
Bulk L;
Activate Ingested;
This toxin is a compound of herbal substances. You can't reduce your sickened condition while affected.
Virulent Afflictions with the virulent trait are harder to remove. You must succeed at two consecutive saves to reduce a virulent affliction’s stage by 1. A critical success reduces a virulent affliction’s stage by only 1 instead of by 2.
Type Uncommon;
Level 6;
Price 40 GP;
[ul
- ]Saving Throw DC 24 Fortitude
- Onset 1d3 minutes
- Maximum Duration 6 minutes
- Stage 1 1d6 poison damage and sickened 1 (1 minute)
- Stage 2 2d6 poison damage and you can not breathe (1 round)
- Stage 3 3d6 poison damage and you can not breathe (1 round)
Golth’s Investigation
As the town’s only real member of law enforcement, Golth Harley is incompetent. He is the mayor’s nephew and rarely does anything other than settle disputes over livestock and break up the occasional drunken brawl. In fact, the town has not had a crime reported in years, so when Herwig dies, Golth realizes he’s in over his head. The sheriff’s first inclination is to cover the body, take everyone at the table and all the members of the caravan out to the stables, and talk to each person in turn about what happened. Although he is privately hoping someone will give him a clue, he is honestly just hoping to gain a better idea of what happened. Though he can’t be certain, hearing that the PCs tried to help the Herwig, combined with the fact that they hardly knew him, convinces the sheriff that they are unlikely to be responsible. The members of the caravan who would inherit the lucrative business are high on the list of suspects, but most were not in the bar, and those that were—Olf Keldaran and Ulf Keldaran —have solid alibis: they were drinking and gambling with Liam Maffit before and after the fight. Feel free to modify this interrogation according to the actions of the players. Golth grants requests that are likely to further the investigation, but he will not start questioning other townsfolk until he has first interrogated the PCs and other caravan members. He is not willing to hold everyone in the bar; he’s certain they won’t be leaving town anytime soon. In the meantime, Thelma closes the kitchen and sends most of the other townsfolk home, including her staff (although Trip and Gnalter are already gone). Upon finishing his questioning, Golth realizes that there is no clear suspect and that no member of the caravan can be ruled out. As the town has no jail, he informs everyone he will need to turn this investigation over to a circuit judge who visits the town occasionally to deal with serious legal matters and crimes. Unfortunately, the judge, Lord Bamburry Mubbage, is not due back for another month, so everyone is stuck here until then. If the PCs protest, Golth insists that unless he knows who committed this heinous crime, he is bound to hold all possible suspects until the judge arrives. He does add that if the characters assist in the investigation, it might be resolved sooner.Rising Action
Tracking Down the Killer
After Golth Harley orders the caravan to remain in town, everyone heads home. Bort’s body is taken down to the cellar to be kept cool, while Kenza and the rest of the Caravan gathers to mourn. She invites the characters to join them out near the wagons. This is a somber occasion, and everyone in the company is at a loss. Herwig was their leader, and without him, their future is uncertain. Tales of remembrance are told through teary eyes, and rare bottles of elven wine from Tsurawa are passed around for all to share. Kenza remains mostly quiet through this, but speaks up at the end of the night, just as the sun begins to rise.Herwig was more than just a merchant, more than just the boss. He was my friend. We won’t leave here until we’ve found out who did this. Rolth’s a fool, but I’d be an even greater fool if I thought I could get to the bottom of this. Fixing wagons and moving goods, that’s my job. But you, you might be able to figure out who killed Bort and get justice for him. For all of us. Will you help uncover who did this?Assuming that the characters agree, they can investigate Herwig’s murder in several ways. They can search the Millstone for clues, they can go through Herwig’s ledgers, and they can talk to various witnesses and suspects around town. Each of these approaches is described below. Although there is plenty of time before the circuit judge arrives, Kenza and the other caravan members instill a sense of urgency. No one wants to remain in this town an hour longer than they have to.
Searching the Millstone
One of the obvious places to start the investigation is the Millstone itself. After the events of the previous night, the common room was tidied up a bit, but the kitchen is in complete disarray. Dining Room: There is little to be found here that relates to Herwig’s death. The poisoned bowl was taken to the kitchen, and there is nothing remarkable about the table or chair where Herwig perished. Kitchen: The kitchen contains the cooking utensils needed to operate the Millstone—kettles, skillets, knives, a mortar and pestle, roasting spits, a sieve, and a butter churner. Of particular note is the kettle of turnip porridge sitting on the counter, next to Herwig’s large bowl. Although the remnants are starting to dry out, a PC who succeeds at a Perception check DC 18notices an unusual, faintly floral, smell in the porridge remaining in Bort’s bowl.
spots a glint in the grass just outside the stable doors, leading to a small glass vial with a simple cork. The vial is empty but contains traces of a floral-smelling liquid. This is the vial that Gnalter used to season Herwig’s porridge, and he dropped it here when he fled during the bar brawl.
Herwig’s Books
The players might think to check through Herwig’s belongings and papers for clues as to why someone might want to murder him. Kenza Grenspitz has the keys to Herwig’s wagon and will let the PCs inside, but she will not tolerate them ransacking the place. She remains very protective of Herwig’s memory and reputation. Inside, Herwig’s wagon is filled with knickknacks and keepsakes from his journeys. His belongings are truly a bewildering assortment of odds and ends, including a bottle with a tiny skull floating in oil, a taxidermic dragon whelp, a mummified owlbear paw, a shining crystal that holds the illusionary image of a mountain peak inside, and so on. There are a number of minor magic trinkets in here, but Kenza will not allow the players to take or examine these at all. The merchant’s ledgers are easily found in a rack above his bed. The books are large and filled to the brim with details about his travels and transactions over many years. Acquiring any useful information from them takes at least 4 hours and requires a successful Decipher Writing check (using Society or a related Lore skill). DC 18A PC who succeeds at this check uncovers that Herwig visited Qosx at least 22 times in the past decade, and about five years ago the merchant started making deliveries labeled “reagents” to someone referred to only as “D,” receiving rather large sums of gold in exchange. These deliveries are numbered, starting with 1 and ending with delivery number 14, which occurred the day the caravan arrived in town.
If the PCs uncover the deliveries made to the mysterious “H,” awards the party 30 XP.
Questioning Mona
After Herwig’s death, Mona tells Thelma that the kitchen should be closed immediately, just in case it was the food. Proud of her work, the cook insists Herwig’s death must be foul play because she explains, simple food poisoning doesn’t work that fast and isn’t as deadly. Thelma agrees but insists that nothing in the kitchen be cleaned or removed so that investigators can look for clues and clear Mona’s good name. Removing her apron, Mona heads home and does not return for as long as the investigation continues.The Old Qosx Orchard
If the characters go looking for Mona, townsfolk can tell them she lives in the Old Orchard, an area just outside town that was once a productive apple orchard. These days, it is foul and rotten, the trees having taken on a sickness. After the trees went bad a few years back, the grove’s tender moved with his family to Khor, and Mona lives in the small shack they left behind.Creatures
Unless care is taken to travel around the outside of the orchard, the PCs are likely to pass near a tree containing a gigantic beehive
Bee Swarm - Creature 1
NEUTRALLARGEANIMALSWARM
| Perception | +5, Darkvision |
| Skills | Acrobatics 9+, Stealth 7+ |
STR -1 , DEX +4 , CON +1 , INT -5 , WIS +1 , CHA -4 | |
| AC | 17 |
| Saving Throws | Fort +4, Ref +9, Will +4 |
| HP | 18 - Immunities Precision, swarm mind - Weaknesses Area damage 5, splash damage - Resistances bludgeoning 2, piercing 5, slashing 5 |
| Speed | fly 20 ft |
| Special Abilities | Swarming Stings
Each enemy in the swarm’s space takes 1d4 piercing damage (DC 16 basic Reflex save). The first time each round a creature fails the save and takes piercing damage, it also suffers the effect of beestings. Whenever the bee swarm uses this ability, the swarm takes 1 damage.
Beestings (poison) The creature must attempt a DC 16 Fortitude save. Those who fail take 1d4 poison damage and are clumsy 1 for 1 minute. |
if successful, the PC knows that bees are pacified by smoke. If anyone uses a Smokestick or similar item
against the bee swarm, the swarm dissipates.
Mona Arrives
Shortly after the bees are defeated, Mona arrives in a head-to-toe suit of Padded Armor —to protect her from the bees— armed with a smoke can to pacify any bees that remain. She invites the PCs to her home, offering up remedies for any stings they might have suffered. She also serves delicious biscuits with honey harvested from the beehive. When talk turns to Herwig’s murder, Mona says that she prepared the dessert, Gnalter plated it, and Trip served it. She doesn’t think anyone else was in the kitchen, even though she went out more than once to empty the slop bucket. Mona is terribly worried about her image and she seems to care more about her reputation around town than about the dead dwarf. If taken back to the kitchen, she confirms that nothing there seems out of the ordinary, although she does notice that something smells off about the remnants in Herwig’s bowl.Questioning Thelma
As the owner of the Millstone, Thelma knows much about its operations and the staff that work there, but her knowledge of the evening of the poisoning is limited to what she saw in the taproom, which isn’t much. She knows where every one of her staff lives, except for Gnalter; she knows only that he sleeps in the barn sometimes. She is steadfast in her conviction that no one in her employ had any ill will toward Herwig, and the thought of any of them randomly poisoning the dwarf is absurd. The day after the murder, probably after they have finished up a day investigating, Thelma seeks out the PCs to talk to them about their bill. She is happy for them to stay at the Millstone, but they will have to pay for room and board. While this is not costly (only about 5 sp per day), she offers them a greatly reduced rate of only 2 sp per day if they assist her with a few chores around the shop and town. In particular, she would like some help with her aging father Timgen, the Mayor of QosxTour of Qosx
For years now, octogenarian Timgen Proust has been unable to walk for more than a few feet under his own power. His eyesight failing, he spends most of his days in a wooden wheelchair made from a modified pushcart. Thelma lives next door and does what she can to care for her father, but with all that’s happening at the Feedmill, she would like the characters to take him on a stroll around town to give him some fresh air and keep him active. Assuming the characters agree, Timgen takes them to visit the following sites around town, talking to them all the while about the town’s history and its people. The path starts at the Millstone and visits the following locations in order. Timgen knows a great deal of common information about these sites and any town history surrounding them.- The Millstone: Timgen is proud to talk about the Millstone, the town’s only major business. Timgen opened the Millstone more than 50 years ago, before the Goblinhorde Wars. His brother died in that conflict, along with much of Timgen’s extended family. The town itself avoided the worst of the conflict, which occurred primarily to the south. If there are any Goblins in the party, Timgen gives them a wary glance.
- Rock of Mercies The path next leads to the Rock of Mercies, which was used to give food and aid to those suffering from the plague. Timgen can tell the PCs much about the plague that came to Qosx. He recounts how everyone suspected a local witch named Vaeri of starting the plague (she was actually an Alchemist, but Timgen has no idea what that is), and after Vaeri caught it herself, she cursed the town’s only Priest before she died. Soon after, Father Bolgrist contracted the plague and died. Timgen tells the PCs that the witch had a daughter named Allisa who stuck around her mother’s home for a few years, then probably died or ran off. Timgen does not bother to recount the fact that Vaeri tried to stop the plague, or that Father Bolgrist was the first to accuse Vaeri of spreading it.
- Dead Homes: After visiting the Rock of Mercies, Timgen guides the PCs through the north side of town where most of the plague victims lived. Most of their homes are empty and in a terrible state of disrepair. Only the very poor or desperate call this part of town home. Timgen notes that anyone with coin lives on the south side of town.
- Drunk Shepherd’s Path: Leaving the north side of town, Timgen wants to be walked along this old shepherd’s path that wanders through the turnip farms around town. He mentions that they were once sheep pastures, but the last large flock left town years ago.
- Old Shrine: The path leads to an old shrine in the middle of an ancient copse of oak trees. Timgen notes as the group wanders through the old woods while the shrine is currently dedicated to Gamala, it has served other purposes. He claims that druids used to gather at the shrine long ago. Since Father Bolgrist’s death, nobody worships here anymore. Unfortunately, the area is overrun by wilderness, and the shrine is home to a group of hungry Bloodseekers.
Four bloodseekers
make their home here. The creatures attack as soon as they notice the PCs.Bloodseeker - Creature -1NEUTRALTINYANIMAL
Scourges of swamps and damp, abandoned places, bloodseekers are ravenous blood drinkers. Farmers curse the creatures for sucking their livestock dry. It is from such beleaguered people that the bloodseeker’s regional name “stirge,” possibly a corruption of the word “scourge,” comes. Folk wisdom holds that the appearance of bloodseekers in a region signals a healthy herd of livestock, but more often it means bogs or old buildings that haven’t been properly tended to. Certainly, no amount of folksy parable can assuage a farmer driven to destitution by a bloodseeker infestation. But despite their role as parasites, bloodseekers aren’t hated by all villages. In some cases, the inhabitants of remote backwoods thorps even keep the things as pets or use them as doubtful medicinal “tools” to drain away unwanted humors or test for evil spirits possessing the blood. Worshippers of gods of pestilence and parasites often view bloodseekers as sacred to their faith and allow the creatures to feed freely from their bodies. In such societies, those who accidentally give too much are considered to have been “blessed” by the village’s hungry god.Bloodseekers seem to be constantly hungry, but they are not inherently malevolent. They can be scared away fairly easily and prefer to swiftly retreat rather than risk death. Some adventurers report that these creatures can be scared away by waving torches at the flying pests. However, bloodseekers are much bolder when encountered in larger numbers, as bringing down one victim lets an entire colony feed. Bloodseeker colonies are called clots, for obvious and disgusting reasons. If a lone bloodseeker finds a likely victim while its clot is nearby, it emits a high-pitched, keening noise to summon reinforcements.Most humanoids avoid bloodseekers, but boggards sometimes cultivate bloodseeker nests around the perimeter of their territory. These colonies serve as a deterrent to intruders, and the boggards sometimes check for bloodseeker prey, collecting the hides or bodies of animals killed by the pests. Meals prepared from slain bloodseekers that have gorged on the blood of specific creatures are a staple among certain boggard communities. The boggards not only eat the actual bloodseekers, but they also make a gelled slurry from the drained blood. A typical bloodseeker is about a foot long, with mottled, reddish-brown skin and a yellow underbelly. Its four wings resemble bat wings. When gorged with blood, the creature becomes bloated and pink, and it tends to wobble unsteadily in the air as it flies off to digest its meal.
Perception +6; darkvision, scent (imprecise) 60 feet Skills Acrobatics +6, Stealth +6
STR -4 , DEX +3 , CON +0 , INT -5 , WIS +1 , CHA -2
AC 16 Saving Throws Fort +5, Ref +8, Will +4 HP 6 Speed 10 feet, fly 30 feet Melee barbed leg +8 (finesse), Effect attach
Attach When a bloodseeker hits a target larger than itself, its barbed legs attach it to that creature. This is similar to grabbing the creature, but the bloodseeker moves with that creature rather than holding it in place. The bloodseeker is flat-footed while attached. If the bloodseeker is killed or pushed away while attached to a creature it has drained blood from, that creature takes 1 persistent bleed damage. Escaping the attach or removing the bloodseeker in other ways doesn’t cause bleed damage.Special Abilities Blood Drain Requirements The bloodseeker is attached to a creature. Effect The bloodseeker uses its proboscis to drain blood from the creature it’s attached to. This deals 1d4 damage, and the bloodseeker gains temporary Hit Points equal to the damage dealt. A creature that has its blood drained by a bloodseeker is drained 1 until it receives healing (of any kind or amount). - Candus' Mound: On the way back home, the path leads past Candus' Mound. Looming to the town’s southeast, this hill was the site of the first home built in the area. Timgen notes that Candus spent his fortune founding the town, only to die in a fire that consumed him and his family because the house was too far away from the well and the river.
- Back Home: The path leads back to the Millstone. Timgen nods off and naps for the last leg of the journey, and upon arriving home, he complains that it took too long and he is late for lunch. Thelma thanks the PCs for their help before taking her father inside to get him some food.
For escorting Timgen safely and learning more about the town, award the PCs 30 XP.
Questioning Idora
Idora is easy to find, as she lives at the Millstone and is always around, taking care of the animals and making sure the stables are in good condition. On the night of the poisoning, Idora was busy in the stables with Glow, tending to Herwig’s horses; Glow can confirm this. When the fight broke out, she saw Gnalter flee right away, and she saw Trip Sathe leave through the stable doors soon after, clutching a wound on her cheek. She was nowhere near the food or the poisoning. Idora knows that Gnalter sometimes sleeps in the barn, but he has other places too that she does not know about. Two days after the murder, unless the PCs uncover it first, Idora finds the poison vial in the yard just outside the stable doors. She gives this to the PCs at her earliest convenience, hoping it will aid their investigation.Helping the Horses
After the fight with the wolves, Herwig’s horses have all become infested with biting fleas. Idora is doing what she can to help them, but she needs an entire bushel of rosemary to brew up enough ointment to treat this many animals.Rosemary Bushes
The day after the poisoning, Idora asks the PCs if they could bring her some rosemary to help her take care of the horses. She knows a spot in the woods nearby that is thick with the plants. Unfortunately, it is also the home of a rather ferocious old Grizzly Bear that tends to sleep among the bushes. Creature The bear
Grizzly Bear - Creature 3
NEUTRALLARGEANIMAL
| This large and powerful omnivore inhabits forested hills. While it typically sustains itself on nuts, berries, fish, and small mammals, it’s fiercely territorial and will chase off or kill any creature it views as competition. Grizzly bears are especially temperamental when their young are nearby. In combat, a grizzly bear often attempts to grab and maul its foe with surprising ferocity. It continues its assault until its foe seems like it is no longer a threat, though if the bear is hungry, it will not hesitate to feed. Recall Knowledge - Animal (Nature): DC 18 | |
| Perception | +10; low-light vision, scent (imprecise) 30 feet |
| Skills | Athletics +11, Survival +8 |
STR +4 , DEX +1 , CON +5 , INT -4 , WIS +1 , CHA -2 | |
| AC | 19 |
| Saving Throws | Fort +12, Ref +6, Will +8 |
| HP | 45 |
| Speed | 35 ft |
| Melee | jaws +11 [+6/+1], Damage 2d8+4 piercing
claw +11 [+7/+3] (agile), Damage1d10+4 slashing plus Grab |
| Special Abilities | Mauler The grizzly bear gains a +2 circumstance bonus to damage rolls against creatures it has grabbed.
Rush The grizzly bear Strides and makes a Strike at the end of that movement. During the Stride, the grizzly bear gains a +10-foot circumstance bonus to its Speed. |
Questioning Farmer Maffit
Farmer Maffit can be found in his fields most days and in the taproom of the Millstone most nights. He is in a foul mood each morning as he recovers from the excess of the past evening. He is less hostile to visitors in the afternoons, but even on the best of days, the farmer is not friendly. His farm is on the north side of town and is easily mistaken for being abandoned, as it isn’t in good repair. Maffit’s memory of the night of the murder (as with most any night) is a bit hazy. He remembers getting into a fight with “that clumsy fool Ranken ,” and he recalls talking to Golth, but he has little to say about Herwig. He was gambling and drinking with Olf and Ulf before and after the fight, and he is still quite bitter about the amount of coin they won from him that night.Questioning Fardis
Fardis can be found around town during the afternoon and in the tavern at night. In either case, he is busy performing—badly. The bard has little to offer the characters. Before the brawl, he was both drinking and performing, and any information he offers is likely to conflict with other accounts.Questioning Ranken
Ranken lives not far from the Millstone with his wife and newborn daughter. After the poisoning, he can be found at home, recovering from the injuries suffered during the bar brawl. He is happy to talk to the PCs about the night of Herwig’s poisoning. Ranken confirms that he served drinks while Trip served the food. He also can confirm that Mona was busy in the kitchen while Gnalter assisted around the bar and kitchen. Most of his interactions that night were with Thelma, as she prepared drinks for him to serve to thirsty guests. The last thing he clearly recalls is accidentally bumping into Liam Maffit, which caused the farmer to spill his drink and start the brawl. When Ranken was knocked to the floor, he saw Gnalter fleeing the bar, but the rest is a blur. He regained his senses shortly after Herwig’s death.Questioning Gnalter
Gnalter disappeared during the bar brawl, and after an entire day missing, Thelma and the others at the Millstone Gnalter flees the tavern during fights because he is often the target of a thrown mug or, worse still, someone picks him up and throws him at someone else. The truth is that Gnalter fled from the brawl, but he soon learned of Herwig’s death and became afraid that the spice he was bullied into putting into the porridge was poison. The Goblin fears he’s responsible for the dwarf’s murder and is terrified of what the townsfolk might do to him if they find out. The fact that he was forced to add the spice, and that he had no idea what it actually was, does little to ease his concern, so he spent several days in hiding just trying to figure out what to do. Finding Gnalter is not an easy task. No one seems to know where the goblin stays, and searching every building would take a week or more. Gnalter hides in a small shack in the woods and in one of the abandoned homes on the north side of town, and does not come out of hiding until two days have passed when his food supplies have run low. He has no intention of talking to anyone, and he hopes to sneak back to the Millstone, get some food, and continue hiding until this whole mess is a distant memory. The PCs run across him as he is making his way between houses on his way to the Millstone.Chasing Gnalter
Once spotted, Gnalter assumes he’s being blamed for Herwig’s death and runs off to avoid the PCs. To keep things simple, the PCs each take turns attempting to pass each location, in order. On a PC’s turn, they must attempt one of the listed checks for each location or give up the chase. Each success earns the PC 1 point toward catching Gnalter, while a critical success awards 2. If a PC fails a check, they suffer the listed drawback (if any). Either way, the PCs move on to the next location. A PC who accumulates 4 points catches Gnalter at that location, and if no PC gains 4 points after attempting checks at all five locations, Gnalter escapes. Turns don’t correspond to time; a PC with more points reaches new locations before a PC with fewer points, but once the chase is over, the rest of the PCs catch up.- The Market (Location 1): DC 13 Athletics to push past carts, DC 15 Acrobatics to vault around them; Drawback—none.
- The Road (Location 2): DC 14 Fortitude save to sprint; Drawback—winded (the PC takes a –1 circumstance penalty to checks at the next location).
- The Alley (Location 3): DC 15 Reflex save to avoid falling in the mud, DC 13 Survival to pick a better path; Drawback—The PC is sickened 1 for the rest of the chase unless they spend a turn to retch.
- Backyard (Location 4): DC 16 Stealth to Sneak past the dog, DC 18 Nature (trained only) to calm the dog (no drawback if anyone makes the Nature check Drawback—The dog bites the PC, dealing 1d4 damage.
- Turnip Field (Location 5): DC 16 Reflex save for the PC to keep their feet, DC 13 Society (trained only) to remember a shortcut; Drawback—none.
Gnalter’s Tale
The PCs intimidate Gnalter with their sheer presence and he is terrified of being blamed for Herwig’s death. As a result, he goes to extremes to ingratiate himself with the PCs once he is caught. Although he does not at first mention Herwig or the poisoning, if the PCs question him about it and succeed at a Diplomacy or Intimidation check DC 15his facade completely cracks and he begins blubbering, begging the characters for mercy. Gnalter explains that shortly after Herwig arrived in town, Dhallo, the town bully, cornered the goblin. Dhallo gave him a vial of “spices” and told Gnalter that if he did not put them in Herwig’s food, he would find himself facing the sharp point of one of Dhallo’s many knives. The bully told Phinick that the spices would only make Bort sick: a little payback for a bad deal he made with the merchant the last time he was in town. Not wanting to face a severe beating, Gnalter agreed and slipped the contents of the vial into Herwig’s porridge just before the fight broke out. Shortly thereafter, Gnalter fled the bar, only to learn the next morning that Herwig had died from his poisoned dessert. Terrified, Phinick has been hiding ever since.
When the PCs discover Dhallo’s involvement in Herwig’s death, award the party 30 XP.
Questioning Sir Louis Krank
Sir Louis Krank can be found most days sleeping in an abandoned home or a drainage ditch. He smells quite bad by morning, but most days, he dumps a bucket of water or two over himself to preserve what shreds of dignity he has left. Sir Louis is not much help to the PCs’ investigation. He fled the moment the bar brawl began, and he was very drunk before it had even started. The former knight is terrified of conflict, and he is constantly looking over his shoulder as if he is being followed.Questioning Trip Sathe
Trip works four nights a week at the Millstone while her brother Carny stays home to work the crops, despite the fact that the soil seems to have turned sour.Sathe House
Trip and Carny live on a small turnip farm on the southwest side of town. Although the farm has been struggling this year, the siblings get by on their combined income. Creature: When the PCs arrive at the farm, a PC who succeeds at a DC 10 Perception check notices Carny running clockwise around the farmhouse. The PCs have enough time for a single action, such as drawing a weapon or moving. A moment later, a gigantic Boar rounds the farmhouse, chasing the poor man. If the PCs jump into action, they can roll initiative as normal. If they stay back, the pig
Boar - Creature 2
NEUTRALMEDIUMANIMAL
 | |
| Perception | +8; low-light vision, scent (imprecise) 30 feet |
| Skills | Acrobatics +5, Athletics +8, Survival +8 |
STR +4 , DEX +1 , CON +4 , INT -4 , WIS +2 , CHA -3 | |
| AC | 18 |
| Saving Throws | Fort +10, Ref +5, Will +8 |
| HP | 30 |
| Speed | 40 ft |
| Melee | tusk +10 [+5/+0], Damage 2d6+4 piercing |
| Special Abilities | Boar Charge The boar Strides twice and then makes a tusk Strike. As long as it moved at least 20 feet, it gains a +2 circumstance bonus to its attack roll.
Ferocity 
Trigger The monster is reduced to 0 HP. Effect The monster avoids being knocked out and remains at 1 HP, but its wounded value increases by 1. When it is wounded 3, it can no longer use this ability. |
Trip’s Testimony
: Carny thanks any PCs that fought the boar or tended his wounds. If the PCs defeated the angry beast, the farmer gratefully offers to dress and cook the animal for them. Trip recognizes the group from the Millstone and invites them inside for tea. A bruise is visible on her face. Until they inform her, Trip has no idea that Herwig is dead, having left the bar after being hit in the face with a mug. She is shocked by the news of the merchant’s death and gladly helps by relating everything she can remember. Trip spent the evening serving food while Ranken served drinks. As a result, she spent most of her night going back and forth between the kitchen and tables. She recalls serving all of the food at the PCs’ table, including the turnip porridge right before the fight began. During the struggle, she stood near the table, having just dropped off the desserts, and that’s when she was hit with the mug. Her memory after that is a blur until she got home when her brother took care of her. She does not recall seeing anyone near the food who should not have been; she confirms that Mona prepared it and Gnalter plated it.Climax
Dhallo’s Hideout
Eventually, the characters should try to find Dhallo at Dead Willow. Located on the north side of town, the building is easy to find—it earned its name from a large dying tree in the front yard—and it’s in very poor condition.A huge, dead willow stands in front of a house that appears to be in serious disrepair. It might have had a second story at one time, but that long ago collapsed into ruin, taking parts of the first floor with it. The windows are all boarded over, and the front door hangs open about a foot, kept from swinging wider by a frayed rope.The yard is a complete mess of overgrown weeds. The house itself is constructed from thick wooden posts, slats, and plaster. It’s barely standing, with the entire second floor having collapsed, filling much of the first floor with debris and dense thatch mats originally from the roof. There is danger here: Dhallo has placed more than one trap to harm uninvited guests. Deep beneath the crumbling house is a small basement area connected to a series of caves that eventually emerge under the roots of a giant old tree in the forest outside town. Dhallo discovered this secret exit years ago when he first explored the house, and he now uses it as a hideout to serve Allisa’s interests in Qosx. He has also used it to smuggle alchemical reagents out of town, and to move more sinister cargo in. It is the existence of these caves that has made Dhallo such a valuable minion to Allisa, and no one but Dhallo and a few of Allisa’s other subordinates know about them. Dhallo is here, laying low until the events surrounding Herwig’s death blow over.
The Yard
The yard around the house is choked with weeds and debris from the collapsed house. The area around the willow tree is all but impassible, as the dead branches and leaves have made a large heap around its trunk. A PC who succeeds at a Survival check DC 15someone frequents the property; their trail leads up to the front door, circles the house, and leads down to the stream. A critical success on this check uncovers that the trail never actually goes in through the poorly latched front door
Front Door
The front door to the house no longer sits properly in its frame and is kept from swinging wide open by a simple rope attached to the inside latch. Even with this, it still hangs open about a foot. All of this is a ruse, as this entrance is trapped. (Dhallo never goes in using the front door, instead using a window in the back.)Hazard
The taut rope holding the door disappears into a pile of debris clogging the foyer beyond. Hidden inside the heaps of straw, broken wood, and chunks of plaster is an old Heavy Crossbow that Dhallo has rigged to fire a Spear through the doorway if the rope is cut or otherwise released from the door. Spear LauncherHidden Window Entrance
The footpath that leads around the house passes under a boarded-over window at the back of the house, then down to the stream where Dhallo gets water. Perception check DC 16The boarded-over window is fake; Dhallo nailed the boards onto a hinged shutter, allowing it to be opened with ease.
Crawlway and Hatch
The shuttered entrance leads to a room filled with debris from the collapsed roof. There’s just enough room for two Medium creatures to stand in this space, and a cursory inspection from this spot uncovers a crawlway under the debris. Unlike everything else, this crawlway is mostly free from grime and dust. Characters can move through the crawlway only in single file. Medium creatures can crawl 5 feet per action; Small and smaller creatures can move at normal speed.Hazard
After 15 feet, the crawlway takes a left turn. There is a trapFalling Debris Trap
- Name
- Falling Debris Trap
- Tags
- Pathfinder 2e, Hazard, Mechanical, Trap, CR 2
- Cr
- 1
- Perception
- Stealth DC 17 (trained)
- Ac
- 16
- Saves
- Fortitude Reflex Hardness 5 (BT 10)
- Hp
- 20
- Abilities
- STR 6 DEX 16 CON 10 INT 0 WIS 10 CHA 2
- Attack
- Ranged spear , P
- Reaction
- Description A wall socket loaded with a spear connects to a floor tile in one 5-foot square tile or wall socket.
- Disable Thievery DC 18 (trained) on the floor
- Trigger - Pressure is placed on the floorboard.
- Immunities- critical hits, object immunities, precision damage
- Effect- The ceiling in the crawlway collapses in the square where the passage turns, and also in the two adjacent squares. Anyone in these three squares takes 3d6 bludgeoning damage and can attempt a DC 14 Reflex save to reduce the damage. For the creature in the center square, where the trap is triggered, this is a basic save. Creatures in the two adjacent squares take no damage on a success or critical success as they avoid the falling debris entirely, but take full damage on a failed save, and take double damage on a critical failure. Creatures that take damage from the debris are immobilized, trapped under the crushing weight.
- Epic_actions
- Clearing out a square of debris requires a successful DC 17 Athletics skill check, with the following effects.
- Critical Success The square is cleared in 1 minute.
- Success The square is cleared in 5 minutes.
- Failure The square is cleared in 10 minutes.
- Critical Failure The ceiling above the square collapses further, dealing an additional 2d6 to the character digging out the square and any character trapped in that square. This takes 1 minute and no progress is made
- World
- f10ab956-7990-4a3e-8e28-6ffb37472cda
- IsShared
- on
Basement Kennel
The chute deposits the PCs into a short hallway that leads to a wooden door. The door is not locked, and it leads into the deep basement of the house above. When the PCs open the door, read or paraphrase the following.The old wooden door swings open on rusted hinges, revealing a room lit by a single, flickering torch. Through the gloom, you see piles of small crates and more than a few barrels stacked up haphazardly on the south side of the room. Opposite you is a stout wooden door with iron bands, while the north side of the room is bare save for an iron gate set into the middle of the wall. The stench of smoke and damp dog hangs heavy in the air.If the PCs made a great deal of noise in opening the hatch, Dhallo had plenty of time to set up an additional danger for them by spilling a few pints of alchemical grease on the area in front of the door. The oil covers the square directly in front of the door and the squares adjacent to that one. Anyone attempting to move through these spaces by means other than a Step must attempt a DC 13 Acrobat check or Reflex saving throw or fall prone. The door leading out of this room into Dhallo's Home is locked, but it can be opened with two successful DC 15 Thievery skill checks. It can also be Forced Open with a successful DC 20 Athletics check or by dealing 40 points of damage to the door (Hardness 10)
Creatures
Even if the PCs did not make noise while opening the hatch, they cannot possibly make it down the chute without alerting Dhallo, who then stations himself beyond the wooden door to his living space. Watching through a slit in the door, he begins turning a wheel that raises the iron gate as soon as the PCs enter the room. This releases four angry and starving Guard Dogs into the room. Their barks and growls flood the room the moment the grate begins to move. Roll initiative for the Dogs
Guard Dog - creature -1
WHITESMALLANIMAL
| The typical guard dog is loyal to and beloved by many communities. Often adored as pets, they also excel as protectors and trackers, and can be fearless when defending a beloved master or family member. The statistics presented below work well for any number of breeds of dog ranging from 20 to 50 pounds in weight. Wild dogs can also use these statistics, but their untamed nature makes them far more unpredictable and threatening. Feral dogs are perhaps even more dangerous, for, unlike their wild cousins, feral dogs often lack the instinctual fear of humanity that stops wild creatures from interacting with people. | |
| Perception | Expert ; low-light vision, scent (imprecise) 30 feet |
| Skills | Acrobatics Trained , Athletics Trained , Stealth Trained , Survival Trained |
STR +1 , DEX +2 , CON +2 , INT -4 , WIS +1 , CHA -1 | |
| AC | 15 |
| Saving Throws | Fort +5, Ref +7, Will +4 |
| HP | 8 |
| Speed | 30 feet |
| Melee | 1 action jaws Expert +1 -4 , Damage Piercing |
| Special Abilities | Pack Attack The dog’s Strikes deal 1d4 extra damage to creatures within the reach of at least two of the dog’s allies. |
Rewards
: Anyone searching through the barrels and crates finds them to be empty save for packing straw and scraps of cloth, but a successful Perception check DC 16uncovers 2 vials of Lesser Alchemist's Fire , forgotten underneath a pile of straw
Success reveals that it is a foul alchemical reagent called corpse blood, used in a variety of alchemical items mostly related to disease, poison, or their antidotes
Dhallo’s Home
This chamber is entered via a short hallway remarkable only for a large steel wheel on the wall; this opens the iron gate in the kennel, behind which Dhallo keeps his dogs. A viewing slit in the door to the kennel allows one to see into that room. Dhallo flees immediately after releasing his guard dogs. He moves quickly through this area, exiting into the caves beyond where there are additional defenses and, more importantly, his stash of Juggernaut Mutagen. This leaves his living quarters unattended, but searching for clues here will take time. The home is divided into three areas: the larder, the lavatory, and the living space. The larder is a simple storeroom filled with scraps of old meat, a third of a wheel of cheese, a sack of turnips, and a barrel of weak ale. There is also a crate of empty wine bottles in one corner. They are all of a good Saolish vintage and were probably quite valuable. The lavatory sits just off the main living space, and it is little more than an open pit. This is also where Dhallo disposes of his garbage, and there are scraps of moldy food and bits of junk in the corners of the room. Anyone who investigates can attempt a Perception check to notice DC 15that there are a number of small, identical bottles scattered among the trash. Examining the bottles reveals they all have a silvery residue in the bottom that smells strongly of iron and something else terribly acrid.
remnants of a juggernaut mutagen. A critical success on this check uncovers that there is also something sweet-smelling in the mix. (This is an addictive oil that Vilree started adding to the elixir a few years back to ensure that Hallod remained loyal to her, but the PCs have no way of learning this information just yet.)
Hazard
The real prize to be found here is a strongbox located underneath the cot. Although it is not hard to find, it is made from stout wood, Dhallo has in his pocket. In either case, attempting to open the box triggers the trapPoisoned Lock
- Name
- Poisoned Lock
- Tags
- Pathfinder 2e, Hazard, Mechanical, Trap, CR 1
- Cr
- 1
- Perception
- Stealth DC 17 (trained)
- Ac
- 15
- Saves
- Fortitude Reflex Hardness 6
- Hp
- 1
- Abilities
- -
- Attack
- Spine , P and Cladis Poison
- Reaction
- Description A spring-loaded, poisoned spine is hidden near the keyhole of a lock
- Disable Thievery DC 17 (trained) on the spring mechanism
- Trigger - A creature attempts to unlock or pick the lock
- Immunities- critical hits, object immunities, precision damage
- Effect- A spine springs out and attacks the triggering creature
- Cladis Poison- Saving Throw DC 19 Fortitude Maximum Duration 4 hours;
- Stage 1 1d6 poison damage and drained 1 (1 hour)
- Stage 2 2d6 poison damage and drained 2 (1 hour)
- Stage 3 3d6 poison damage and drained 2 (1 hour)
- Epic_actions
- World
- f10ab956-7990-4a3e-8e28-6ffb37472cda
- IsShared
- on
Rewards
: Inside the chest is a batch of 14 receipts that match the logs from Herwig’s ledgers, as well as a scrap of parchment that lists each transaction along with a value slightly higher than that listed on the corresponding receipt from Herwig. The chest contains some of the gold that Dhallo has skimmed from these transactions over the years (the reason for the difference in values). Although Dhallo has spent much of the difference, the chest still contains 21 gp and 37 sp. Finally, on the back of the transaction list is a crude map. It depicts a cave helpfully labeled “HIDEOUT,” next to a shape that might be a pond; from there, a winding path passes through a strange V-shaped chamber before ending at what appears to be a clearing with a tree stump labeled “DROP POINT.” This is a map to the place where Dhallo drops off the supplies he acquires, and where he received payments and drugs from Allisa. The passageway leading from this chamber begins as worked stone, but as it goes further and further, it becomes more of a natural cavern passage, worked only here and there to make it more passable. It connects The Snake Pool.Snake Pool
Beyond Dhallo’s living quarters is a system of natural caves. Although the path is far from level, it has been worked to allow for easy travel; stalagmites have been cleared away in some spots and small wooden footbridges have been stretched over pools of stagnant water no more than 5 feet deep. After about 10 minutes of travel, the PCs arrive at a small cave with a larger, more ominous pool of water in the middle.The passageway opens up into a large natural chamber, the center of which is occupied by a pool of brackish water. Stalactites and stalagmites occupy much of the room, but a path between them leads around the pool and to another corridor on the opposite side of the cave.
Creature
The moment the PCs enter the room, a strange blue glow emanates up from the pool, sending a cascade of shimmering light to the ceiling above. Seconds later, the head of a Giant blue snake rises from the pool with sparks of electricity dancing between its fangs, while a metal, rattle-tipped tail pokes out of the water behind it, audibly building up a charge with every flick of the rattle. The giant lightning serpent
Giant Lightning Serpent - creature 2
UNIQUEBLUE GREENMEDIUMANIMAL
 | |
| Perception | Expert ; low-light vision, scent (imprecise) 30 feet |
| Skills | Acrobatics Trained , Athletics Expert , Stealth Trained , Survival Trained |
STR +2 , DEX +4 , CON +3 , INT -4 , WIS +1 , CHA -2 | |
| AC | 19 |
| Saving Throws | Fort +7, Ref +10, Will +7 |
| HP | 27 |
| Speed | 20 feet, climb 20 feet, swim 20 feet |
| Melee | Fangs Expert (finesse) +6 +1 , Damage Piercing and electricity
|
| Special Abilities | Coiled Opportunity As Attack of Opportunity, but the serpent can use this reaction only if it’s coiled.
Coil The serpent uses an action to coil itself; increasing its reach with its fangs from 5 feet to 10 feet. After the serpent strikes with its fangs, it becomes uncoiled.
Lightning Rattle The serpent rattles its strange metal tail and unleashes a bolt of lightning in a 60-foot line. The bolt deals electricity damage (DC 17 basic Reflex save). Once the giant lightning serpent uses this ability, it must wait 1d4 rounds before doing so again |
Reward
: At the bottom of the shallow pool is the body of an explorer who died here many years ago. Nothing more than bones now, the body has slowly been consumed by limestone that has calcified around its skeleton. A successful DC 15 Perception check spots the body. Anyone who investigates finds the pommel of a weapon sticking out of the stone. Breaking it out will take a hammer and at least 20 minutes of work, but doing so recovers a low-grade Silver RapierFalling Action
Hallod’s Ambush
The tunnel beyond the snake’s lair twists and turns for a great distance; it takes the PCs 10 minutes to traverse it before they can detect a faint natural light up ahead, and the air becomes notably cleaner, smelling vaguely of grass. After another 5 minutes of travel, the tunnel opens up into a cave mouth.The tunnel you have been traversing opens into a cave, and you can see a forest beyond the cave’s mouth. The roots of a large tree block the middle of this entrance as if the tree had grown into a hillside that has since eroded away. Beyond the tree is a large pond; a path around the water begins to one side beneath a curtain of moss hanging from the tree. The cave itself is piled high with two rows of neatly stacked crates and boxes.This cave is where Dhallo stored the reagents before delivering them to Allisa at the prearranged drop spot. The thug waits here for the players to arrive, and he has a few traps prepared for them.
Creature
: Dhallo is a rough-looking man. He is bald and has a prominent scar running down his face from an axe wound he took years ago. He is wearing filthy Leather Armor and wields a nasty Kukri with deadly efficiency. When the PCs enter the room, he hops up on a berm formed by the tree roots, aims his Crossbow at them, and taunts them by saying, “I wondered when Herwig’s lackeys would arrive. Let’s do this!” Years ago, Dhallo
Gollian Bandit - Criminal 3
BLACK, GREENMEDIUMHUMANHUMANOID
 | |
| Perception | Expert |
| Languages | Common |
| Skills | Acrobatics Trained , Athletics Expert , Nature Trained , Stealth Trained , Survival Trained |
STR +4 , DEX +3 , CON +1 , INT +0 , WIS +2 , CHA +0 | |
| Items | heavy crossbow (10 bolts), +1 kukri, leather armor, lesser healing potion, lesser juggernaut mutagen (2), strongbox key |
| AC | 19 |
| Saving Throws | Fort +8, Ref +10, Will +7 |
| HP | 44 |
| Speed | 25 ft |
| Melee | Kukri expert +7 / +3 ] (agile, Trip), Damage slashing
Fist expert +7 / +3 ] (agile, nonlethal, unarmed), Damage Blugeoning
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| Ranged | Heavy Crossbow expert +5 / +0 ] (range increment 120 ft., reload 2), Damage Piercing
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| Special Abilities |
|
Trigger[\b] the bandit scores a critical hit with a melee attack. Effect Dhallo can attempt an Athletics check to Shove or Trip the target of his attack. This uses the same multiple attack penalty as the attack, but it does not count as an additional attack for that penalty. Hazards
Dhallo has set up a pair of spear launcher trapsRewards
: Dhallo has the key that opens the strongbox in his living space, and the crates here are not all empty. They contain 50 gp worth of alchemical reagents that can be used in Crafting alchemical items, a runestone containing the Shadow Rune, and 2 Everburning Torches.XP Award
Bringing Dhallo to justice is a significant milestone, worth an 80 XP story award (in addition to the normal XP for defeating the brute).Last Missive
Folded up in Dhallo’s pocket is a note written on a scrap of parchment. It is in Allisa’s handwriting, which is distinctly unlike any of the other writing the PCs have encountered in the adventure to this point. The style is plain and very severe, as if self-taught.Dhallo, The final shipment of corpse blood is due in just over a week, and it is the last thing I need from that greedy bastard, Herwig. I’ve enclosed a parting gift for him that should ensure he never tells anyone of our dealings. Be sure that he gets it, my darling. Drop off the reagents as soon as they arrive. My work is almost done. You will find your usual reward in the stump.
The Drop Point
Located about 3 miles outside Etran’s Folly, the drop point on Hallod’s map is little more than a large hollow tree stump in a small clearing. Inside are a few empty crates, but nothing of value. Knowing this location, however, is vital to learning the location of Alissa’s true lairResolution
Unsolved Murder
In tracking down Dhallo and exploring his hideout, the players have made significant progress in determining who caused the untimely demise of Herwig the dwarf merchant. Unfortunately, the villain who ordered the murder is still at large. Even worse, there’s no way to learn where this mysterious “A” might be found. Taking this information to Golth only adds to the inept sheriff’s worry. Worse than a simple murder, the PC’s investigation has uncovered a nefarious plot involving secret agents and clandestine deliveries, with roots stretching back many years. These events do clear the name of the PCs and of the members of the caravan, but the sheriff pleads with the PCs to help him uncover the true culprit. There are two other factors at play here: Kenza ’s desire for closure, and the appearance of a mysterious ranger. Kenza is keen to hear what happened in the caves underneath Dhallo’s home. She listens with rapt attention, the knuckles on her clenched hands white with tension, as the story unfolds. Although she is relieved that the man directly responsible for Herwig’s death has been caught, she grows quiet at the revelation that there was someone else involved. After a moment of silence, she asks how the PCs plan to find the mastermind behind all this, expecting the group to continue the search. Should they balk, a pained look crosses her face, and she retrieves her coin purse to offer them 43 gp in assorted coins to continue the investigation. It is her entire savings but finding the killer means that much to her and the others. Around this time (or perhaps just before the heroes go to Hallod’s home), a mysterious ranger comes to town dragging a sled and burdened by the carcasses of several wolves. The body of the caustic wolf from the beginning of this adventure is among the corpses (if the PCs did not bury it). The ranger is looking for whoever is responsible.Dhallo Lives?
It is possible that the PCs took Dhallo alive, subduing him rather than killing him. If so, Sheriff Rolth has the thug bound to a post in a locked barn just outside town. Dhallo is under constant watch, being held until the circuit judge arrives to mete out justice. The PCs are free to question him, but he refuses to say much of anything until the withdrawal from his mutagen addiction begins to take hold, which takes 3 or 4 days. At that point, Dhallo will say just about anything to get another dose. Alternatively, the PCs might be able to coerce information out of Dhallo or talk him into revealing a few details by using skills (mostly likely Diplomacy and Intimidation), subject to your discretion. In any case, Dhallo is not too bright and actually knows very little about his employer’s plans. He knows her name is Allisa , and that she once lived in Qosx, but he does not know when or why she left. He met her about six years ago, when he chanced upon her in the woods. He found her roasting beetles from nearby trees and collecting the ashes, and she invited him to share her fire and her wine. He was enchanted by her strange countenance—she has big eyes and pointed ears, but not so pointed as an elf’s. They met several times over the next few months, and while Dhallo was smitten, Allisa never returned the affection. Hoping to prove himself, Dhallo began to do small tasks for her, and she began to use him to smuggle goods back and forth from Etran’s Folly via the cave network underneath his home. He never learned where she lived, and as time went on, they met in person less and less. Allisa is busy, he says; she has important work to do (not that Dhallo has any idea what that is). He has not seen her in person for over a year now, and they communicate only by notes left at their prearranged drop point. He gets her whatever she asks for; in return, she pays him and makes sure he has an ample supply of his addictive mutagen. Dhallo has no further role to play in this adventure. If left in Golth’s custody, he is taken away by the circuit judge in a month’s time to serve in a labor mine for the rest of his life
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