ATG the Teen Titans, sophomore year
Previously On the Teen Titans
A group of talented teenagers who live in Tellenor were excited by the return of their heroes Adventure Team Grimm. When the, now famous, adventuring team returned to town they stopped the occupational force of soldiers and their leader a Knight of Aventador from killing the duke. With this victory the Harvest festival was back on! The teens soon learned that during the battle with the soldiers a group of thieves used the confusion as cover to steal the Town Tome from the castle. This magical tome holds the entire history of Tellenor magically within it's pages. The teens decided to get it back.The teen team consists of the shor,t but strong, aarokocra barbarian known as Ikki Ti'Kik.
An adopted Satyr named Pippen who is a failed musician but a powerful monk
Kodi, who ran away from the Points by boat fleeing his thieves guild for reasons unknown. He is of the mysterious beastshifters, a race of humans infused with bear like qualities.
and Dusty Gorf, the emo Tiefling who often pretends to be homeless and terribly goth. In truth he is the wealthy grand nephew of the Duke and lives in the castle and goes to private school.
During the Harvest Festival Petey Pollivar, a local nine year old always trying to get into your group, mentioned the news that the Town Tome of Tellenor had been pilfered by thieves in the night. Noticing that the adults seemed stymied by this you all decided to take the case.
After wandering around the harvest festival you all decided to ask one of the members of Adventure Team Grimm for help. Approaching the Blizzard Hops distillery and Tavern you determined that hardened adventurers may not answer to a group of kids. Ikki and Pippin decided to use their disguise kit to look like an adult. Pippin stood on Ikki's shoulders and created her moustache man look. They then draped a long trenchcoat over the shoulders of Pippin. With some excellent persuasion skills she convinced the bartender to give her a drink and answer her questions. Kodi took the back door route and found it open. In the back hallway He passed by a sleeping Blizzard Hops and Baji Krausenfoot and then snuck behind the bar. With quick hands he lifted a bottle of Triple Sec and dashed out. As Pippen downed the 2 ounces of straight whiskey that she had just ordered, she stood on Ikki's shoulder for 2 seconds before the whiskey came back up. A stream of vomit flew directly down the trenchcoat right on to Ikki's head. The two fled the bar in panic and all of the teens met back up at the fountain to go over their plan.
Your investigation around town told you that the thieves dropped down the backside of the castle to escape. With this clue you all headed over the walls of Tellenor to investigate the scene. Pippen noticed deep indents from a carriage and several hoof prints from a team of horses. Clearly the thieves headed north into the forest and towards the mountains. The young team gathered their weapons and bought some camping gear. With that they headed out to the farmlands outside of Onsalm in pursuit of the carriage. Their first stop at dusk was an old halfling farme'rs pumpkin patch. The teens noticed a Worg eating pumpkins who sniffed the farmer out and was heading to attack him. Before the team came up with a plan Ikki flew towards the dangerous creature with his great axe and struck! The blow was so heavy that the worg went down in a spray of blood. The young owlish boy began to go into shock from the event and the farmer ran out to give the kids comfort, shelter and something to eat. Meanwhile Pippen stole the farmers horse. With gratitude the farmer let the kids use his donkeys as well as his horse as long as they promised to send them back.
Camping for the night the teens set Ikki on first watch. Hearing leathery wings on the air he looked up to see several stirges attacking the group. Rousing the rest of the team into battle the teens started cutting down the blood suckers. The battle intensified as a small band of Goblin Stirge Wranglers attacked from behind. Eventually the team was victorious dispatching all of the small enemies. The following day the teen team caught up to the carriage. At the base of a cliff leading up to the mountains the carriage lay on its side. The thieves were killed torn limb from limb and one of the horses lay nearby with large bite marks in it. A bloody streak could be found leading up the cliff as if something large dragged the remaining horse as well as the chest with the town tome in it. Climbing the cliff with ropes and pitons the team found a cave. As they decided what to do next a huge troll emerged from the cave and screamed at them in Giant. A battle was joined and Dusty and Pippen were felled. With no options remaining Kodi and Ikki taunted the troll to chase them off of the cliff. The plan was a success and the troll hurtled to the bottom. Inside the cave the team found the tome and headed for home. As they looked down the cliff the troll was gone. They returned home to Tellenor with a hearty thanks from the Duke and Blizzard Hops himself.
Plot points/Scenes
The Harvest Festival
Two days after your epic adventure returning the Town Tome the glow of your victory has begun to dim a bit. School opened back up after the soldiers were driven out and a regular routine crept back in. Those of you with parents found that although tension and fear had been reduced they were soon back at work and so were you. The harvest festival was on it's last day and the talk of the town was still the strange magical pulse that had changed kids into their costumes. Luckily Adventure Team Grimm was in town to set things right. You all watched from the sidelines as your favorite heroes jumped into action and saved the day. The kids were changed back and the culprit was found. Now though the excitement has faded and the famed adventurers have disappeared once more. Probably on a new quest or spirited away by new threat.
Game 1 - Balance Blade - Two players balance one footed on an upturned log. They each use wooden practice swords to fence while balancing. The first player to lose their sword or their footing loses!
Game 2 - The Fool's Dance - A dancing and storytelling competition. The player must tell the most compelling story while acting it out with dance. Whoever does both the best simultaneously is the winner. This is often judged by the most elderly women in town and they are very subjective. They often favor small children or young girls in need of a confidence boost.
Game 3 - Assembly of the Knockoffs - Small unflattering carvings of figures dressed as assembly of the weave higher ups are stacked on a fence. Players have to use small rocks to knock over as many of the twelve figures that they can. Each figure has a varying point value depending on their rank.
NOTES the Citizens of Tellenor :
Paste Pot Pete Pollivar is married to Trusilla Fane. They have a son named Petey Pollivar.
Carpenter - Gerebor Grummsh, He is married to a human man named Estabor. They have a son named Rilius.
Alchemist - Rasturus he is allied with the Cog and Gear
Armorer - Blassy Aninore, human woman. She is married to a human man named Zork Clemmon. They have two kids a boy named Porty and a daughter named Rizza.
Smithy - Gorbus Broluton a Dwarven man married to a human woman named Cassy Broluton. They have a daughter and a son named Imogene and Rusty.
Clarus Spice Market - Keregano Clarus, human man is married to a half elven woman named Augustine Clarus.
Temple to Corsun - Perrilan Nuct, Human man
Artificer- Gazza Dwindlehooke, gnome man allied with the Cog and Gear
Honcho Stables - Honcho Panza, human man is married to a dwarven woman named Lassis Groundtooth. They have a son named Villi.
Karbulon Bazzaar - Ellerin K’arbulon
Leatherworks - Velebrush Athagar, Half-orc man
Morchu Hammerash is the smith of the Cog and Gear he is married to Parna Eve of the Blizzard Hops Tavern.
Hooper’s General Store - Mr. Hooper, an elderly human man who is going senile.
Nock’s Clothier - Westarius Nock an Elderly Tiefling man and his wife a half elven woman named Estelle Nuct. She is the mother to Perrilan Nuct.
Owlbear’s Egg Tavern - Hob Cullenson has been run out of town by Eulatris because of his assault charges. Willow Bessinger, a Halfling woman who was the bartender, has left Tellenor with a bag of gold looking for a new start in Ristalpool.
Plurius Docks, dockmaster - Sestun Trev a Water Genasi man and other workers are Gustav Graves a human man, Abal Amal a Tiefling woman, and a dwarven woman named Umber Stumpf.
Scribes and Noble - Erandelle Yostele, Drow Woman
Shrine to Azurat - A female Aasimar named The Weave's Touch. She is assisted by a firbolg man named Cave Carson
Stirge’s Sting Distillery - Stullius Stirge. He will be responsible for using the gem in the cave. He is getting revenge on Blizzard Hops and the underwing brewery and SMOG for destroying his business!
Tellurian Glass - Teluris Amasur, Tiefling man
Green Arch Inn - Gaelus Durriban, Halfling man is the owner. Inside the Green Arch inn is storefront for the Courier company known as SwiftWing Messages. This is a business run by an Aarokocra couple who have a son named Ikki Ta’Kik. They are the owlish looking folk by the names of Willa and Mokki Ta’Kik.
The sparkling Gem, Brothel - Belle Swearingen - Dwarven woman
Underwing Brewery - Bailincourt Hopfoot, Halfling man
Felushian Tailor - Felush under the rock , tabaxi man
Duke Karbald Kerrigan and Duchess Harmony Nellis Kerrigan Both of them are the grandparents of Dusty Gorf the Tiefling Warlock. His mom is a Tiefling woman named Filla Wintergreen and his dad is a human man named Codius Kerrigan.
Harv Leder - manager at Blizzard hops. Married to Maggie Leder. They have a son named Grigg
Parna Eve - Wood Elf bartender at Blizzard Hops. She is married to Morchu Hammerash. They have a daughter named Yasmin
Clorthos Crom - Bartender at Blizzard Hops, married to Lisbeth Crom Platter. A Halfling woman. They have a son named Ulstin.
Two days after your epic adventure returning the Town Tome the glow of your victory has begun to dim a bit. School opened back up after the soldiers were driven out and a regular routine crept back in. Those of you with parents found that although tension and fear had been reduced they were soon back at work and so were you. The harvest festival was on it's last day and the talk of the town was still the strange magical pulse that had changed kids into their costumes. Luckily Adventure Team Grimm was in town to set things right. You all watched from the sidelines as your favorite heroes jumped into action and saved the day. The kids were changed back and the culprit was found. Now though the excitement has faded and the famed adventurers have disappeared once more. Probably on a new quest or spirited away by new threat.
Game 1 - Balance Blade - Two players balance one footed on an upturned log. They each use wooden practice swords to fence while balancing. The first player to lose their sword or their footing loses!
Game 2 - The Fool's Dance - A dancing and storytelling competition. The player must tell the most compelling story while acting it out with dance. Whoever does both the best simultaneously is the winner. This is often judged by the most elderly women in town and they are very subjective. They often favor small children or young girls in need of a confidence boost.
Game 3 - Assembly of the Knockoffs - Small unflattering carvings of figures dressed as assembly of the weave higher ups are stacked on a fence. Players have to use small rocks to knock over as many of the twelve figures that they can. Each figure has a varying point value depending on their rank.
NOTES the Citizens of Tellenor :
Paste Pot Pete Pollivar is married to Trusilla Fane. They have a son named Petey Pollivar.
Carpenter - Gerebor Grummsh, He is married to a human man named Estabor. They have a son named Rilius.
Alchemist - Rasturus he is allied with the Cog and Gear
Armorer - Blassy Aninore, human woman. She is married to a human man named Zork Clemmon. They have two kids a boy named Porty and a daughter named Rizza.
Smithy - Gorbus Broluton a Dwarven man married to a human woman named Cassy Broluton. They have a daughter and a son named Imogene and Rusty.
Clarus Spice Market - Keregano Clarus, human man is married to a half elven woman named Augustine Clarus.
Temple to Corsun - Perrilan Nuct, Human man
Artificer- Gazza Dwindlehooke, gnome man allied with the Cog and Gear
Honcho Stables - Honcho Panza, human man is married to a dwarven woman named Lassis Groundtooth. They have a son named Villi.
Karbulon Bazzaar - Ellerin K’arbulon
Leatherworks - Velebrush Athagar, Half-orc man
Morchu Hammerash is the smith of the Cog and Gear he is married to Parna Eve of the Blizzard Hops Tavern.
Hooper’s General Store - Mr. Hooper, an elderly human man who is going senile.
Nock’s Clothier - Westarius Nock an Elderly Tiefling man and his wife a half elven woman named Estelle Nuct. She is the mother to Perrilan Nuct.
Owlbear’s Egg Tavern - Hob Cullenson has been run out of town by Eulatris because of his assault charges. Willow Bessinger, a Halfling woman who was the bartender, has left Tellenor with a bag of gold looking for a new start in Ristalpool.
Plurius Docks, dockmaster - Sestun Trev a Water Genasi man and other workers are Gustav Graves a human man, Abal Amal a Tiefling woman, and a dwarven woman named Umber Stumpf.
Scribes and Noble - Erandelle Yostele, Drow Woman
Shrine to Azurat - A female Aasimar named The Weave's Touch. She is assisted by a firbolg man named Cave Carson
Stirge’s Sting Distillery - Stullius Stirge. He will be responsible for using the gem in the cave. He is getting revenge on Blizzard Hops and the underwing brewery and SMOG for destroying his business!
Tellurian Glass - Teluris Amasur, Tiefling man
Green Arch Inn - Gaelus Durriban, Halfling man is the owner. Inside the Green Arch inn is storefront for the Courier company known as SwiftWing Messages. This is a business run by an Aarokocra couple who have a son named Ikki Ta’Kik. They are the owlish looking folk by the names of Willa and Mokki Ta’Kik.
The sparkling Gem, Brothel - Belle Swearingen - Dwarven woman
Underwing Brewery - Bailincourt Hopfoot, Halfling man
Felushian Tailor - Felush under the rock , tabaxi man
Duke Karbald Kerrigan and Duchess Harmony Nellis Kerrigan Both of them are the grandparents of Dusty Gorf the Tiefling Warlock. His mom is a Tiefling woman named Filla Wintergreen and his dad is a human man named Codius Kerrigan.
Harv Leder - manager at Blizzard hops. Married to Maggie Leder. They have a son named Grigg
Parna Eve - Wood Elf bartender at Blizzard Hops. She is married to Morchu Hammerash. They have a daughter named Yasmin
Clorthos Crom - Bartender at Blizzard Hops, married to Lisbeth Crom Platter. A Halfling woman. They have a son named Ulstin.
Themes
[DM Note: During the festival the kids will notice three strange happenings. A man who comes to town once a year is back selling his wares on his old cart and his donkey walking through town. In reality he is half demon who uses knick knacks and toys to entice kids into doing horrible things. He also sold the book to the kids last year who created the scarecrow golems and almost got an entire family killed.]
Pippen
In the two story L shaped house that you now live in with your adopted parents you are woken up by the light knock of your mother, Ellie Lynn Quail. "Pip, you know you are not supposed to sleep this late, what has gotten into you?" As Pippen answers and goes about her waking rituals Ellie says "I'm not going to pry but one of these days you are going to have to tell me what you and those kids did the night before last when you didn't come home." She listens for a bit and says. "Oh that might be the front door, don't forget you have your Elven Language tutor coming this morning. Get yourself ready, and don't forget to do your katas as some point today!"
As you finish washing up and getting dressed you head downstairs. A small breakfast of oatmeal and toast is already awaiting you courtesy of your father a human man in spectacles dressed in Kerra guard uniform. His name is Anson Hawth, and he is the quartermaster for the Kerra Guard stationed at the castle. "Pip eat up before your tutor gets here, I heard he came all the way down from Vellen Falls!" As you sit down to start your meal a knock is heard at the door. Both your parents who are now getting ready for work nudge you to open it. Outside stands an elven boy.
Ikki
You are also difficult to wake after the last couple of days. The battle at the castle was an all night affair and many of the townsfolks feared for their lives unable to sleep as soldiers and their deadly drakes combed the city. Eventually Adventure Team Grimm swooped in and saved the day again. Instead of resting though the entire town put on the harvest festival and rejoiced. You and your friends spent the entire night tracking down the town Tome, fighting goblins and monsters. That's enough excitement for months much less a two day period! As all of these dreams and images run through your head you hear a knock on your bedroom door. "Ikki, time to get up. Your father and I are heading out within the hour to head down to Penthos on an important delivery, You know what that means..." Let Ikki come up with some dismissive response. "No, it means you handle the local mail. Their are a few packages on the table for when you finish your bath and breakfast." Ikki's parents are Mokki and Willa Ta'Kik. They run a storefront for their courier company in the Green Arch Inn known as Swiftwing Messages. They are also Owlfolk Aarakocra.
As you finally get up and dressed you head to the kitchen area of your bungalow on the northern side of town near the overlook spire. You strap on your backpack and take flight, the first package is down to the docks and mr. Sestun Trev the water genasi man who runs them. You've always been a bit afraid of his glowering demeanor and his decorated eye patch that looks like a golden evil eye. You spy him from above monitoring the unloading of a cargo ship from Stoneport. He waves you over and you land nearby handing him the package. "Aye, thanks for this lad. Here's a silver for the flight." He hands you a silver coin minted with the Penthos seal. As you turn to go you see a familiar face helping to unload the ship. The strange beastshifter known as Kodi catches you looking. You almost turn to fly off but you remember that you were going to all meet up at the harvest festival at noon, you and your new group of friends.
Nooth Welker-
You were adopted by Honcho Panza, a human man who is married to a dwarven woman named Lassis Groundtooth. They have a son named Villi, your step brother of the past five years. You and your family run the Honcho Stables down by the main gate. You are an expert at horse care and stable craft. That said you often get bored with the job and wander away at any opportunity. Recently you have been hanging out with Ikki and Pippen as well as Kodi the weird bear kid who works down by the docks. Today though you are itching to get to the last day of the festival. You have your eye on a set of ornate throwing knives at the archery game. Unfortunately Honcho Panza has other plans for you today. "Allright, we have a lot to get to today. I want you to have all of these stalls mucked out and I need Abeline [a short squat shetland pony used by Bailincort Hopfoot] brushed and saddled by midday. If you get all of these chores done you can get to the festival by late afternoon. I'll be right under that tree shoeing the horses so I can keep an eye on you. Go on get to work, lad"
At noon by the fountain in the middle of the festival you all gather and watch the townsfolk get back into the swing of the celebration. The festival usually lasts a few days and all who have important jobs try to get their work done by noon to get back to the ales and dancing. As you all enjoy some fried dough and some pilfered alcohol maybe even doing shots of straight triple sec from the bottle stolen by Codi, you know just like regular adults do, you watch the crowd. What would you all like to do?
Roll perception check [DM Note: different checks result in different things. The old man and the cart is a figure you may have seen before. He tends to come annually to the harvest festival claiming to be from the Eigerlands and just a traveling merchant with wares from the west. You may also notice a couple of Halflings who walk a bit differently than others you have met. Their gait is a bit more rushed and their knees a bit knobbier. These are goblins in disguise looking for the kids. They are trying to get revenge for the Stirge wranglers. Their names are Cabby Broccoli and Istenmoff the offhanded. And last we have a regal looking Elven man with white hair and blue eyes. He wears expensive clothing and claims to be all the way from the Fletching. Mike's character can make a history check. It is Enric Maglar Lenshear a wealthy Elven business man and inventor. He is asking townsfolk if they have seen a man named King Arric Lee but he will settle for asking Adventure Team Grimm some questions as well. They seem to have left town again though.]
As you all mull over all of these interesting characters your friend Petey Pollivar walks up to you and shows you a strange item he has just purchased from the merchant. "Guys! check this out! and I got if for a steal, I'm a great haggler." He holds up a strange candle that sits atop a small tone skull. The candle is a dark burgundy red and the stone skull is a dark grey stone with flecks of crystal in it like Feldspar or Quartz. "Pretty cool huh!" He tells you all that he is going to take it home and then wants to meet back up for flavored ice in an hour. As he darts off he says "Oh and Yasmine got one too! she's over by the Panda man!" Sun Paw Kong can be found at the northern edge of the festival by the trees doing plays and puppet shows for the kids. He uses Druid magic to entertain.
[DM Note: Dusty Gorf seems like your classic homeless emo kid who thinks the world is always giving him a bum rap but in reality he is the Grand Nephew of the Duke. He is the son of Cadius Kerrigan and his Tielfling wife Filla Wintergreen. They all live in the castle in relative luxury. Currently he has purchased one of the candles and has taken it home. From their he will be tasked by his parents to do his studies in Eigerlands history.]
As the sun sets the townsfolk turn from food and sugar to alcohol and dancing. You watch as many of the parents stash their kids safely into their beds at home get their grandparents or baby sitters squared away and then get back to it. Pippen you hear the sound of your mother calling for you to head home. "Pippen! It's time to come in, it's getting late. That said if the nice Elven boy is squiring you around you can stay up another hour or so."
Ikki your parents won't be back until morning, though you have instructions to be in bed by 9. Codi you are on your own of course, but you do have work down by the docks at 8 am. Instead of going home you all wander about doing teenager stuff. Pippen give me a perception check based on smell. While you all walk you keep getting a strange smoky scent that comes at you in wispy waves. It smells a bit like burning moss mixed with sage. Suddenly you hear a scream come from the other side of town. Then another and another. You hear footsteps that turn into a run as a group of Kerra Guard rush past your position with Swords and staves drawn and ready. They run at full speed down the hill towards the main gate. As you watch them turn the corner and recede from view you hear a skritching sound like stone on stone. From the wall you watch as a white bony hand grasps the top of the wall, the bones flex and tighten and the arm comes over then a skull. A full human skeleton leaps down onto the dewy grass of the cold Autumn night below. It's eye sockets glow a faint red that flares a bit as it looks at you. Roll initiative!
[DM Note: The Candles that have been purchased by Petey and Gorf are summoning Undead creatures into the town. They are also slowly possessing the kids and turning them into demon minion by grafting demon souls onto their own. This renders the kids catatonic. Our team will have to travel into the woods at night in search of the old man from earlier in the festival. They will find him in a cemetery where he will raise zombies and fight them with a demon protector. On the way to the cemetery they will have to fight a group of goblins who blame them for killing their Worg and their Stirge Wranglers. These Goblins will be antagonists going forwards as well. If needed bring in the Troll from the first adventure!]
Pippen
In the two story L shaped house that you now live in with your adopted parents you are woken up by the light knock of your mother, Ellie Lynn Quail. "Pip, you know you are not supposed to sleep this late, what has gotten into you?" As Pippen answers and goes about her waking rituals Ellie says "I'm not going to pry but one of these days you are going to have to tell me what you and those kids did the night before last when you didn't come home." She listens for a bit and says. "Oh that might be the front door, don't forget you have your Elven Language tutor coming this morning. Get yourself ready, and don't forget to do your katas as some point today!"
As you finish washing up and getting dressed you head downstairs. A small breakfast of oatmeal and toast is already awaiting you courtesy of your father a human man in spectacles dressed in Kerra guard uniform. His name is Anson Hawth, and he is the quartermaster for the Kerra Guard stationed at the castle. "Pip eat up before your tutor gets here, I heard he came all the way down from Vellen Falls!" As you sit down to start your meal a knock is heard at the door. Both your parents who are now getting ready for work nudge you to open it. Outside stands an elven boy.
Ikki
You are also difficult to wake after the last couple of days. The battle at the castle was an all night affair and many of the townsfolks feared for their lives unable to sleep as soldiers and their deadly drakes combed the city. Eventually Adventure Team Grimm swooped in and saved the day again. Instead of resting though the entire town put on the harvest festival and rejoiced. You and your friends spent the entire night tracking down the town Tome, fighting goblins and monsters. That's enough excitement for months much less a two day period! As all of these dreams and images run through your head you hear a knock on your bedroom door. "Ikki, time to get up. Your father and I are heading out within the hour to head down to Penthos on an important delivery, You know what that means..." Let Ikki come up with some dismissive response. "No, it means you handle the local mail. Their are a few packages on the table for when you finish your bath and breakfast." Ikki's parents are Mokki and Willa Ta'Kik. They run a storefront for their courier company in the Green Arch Inn known as Swiftwing Messages. They are also Owlfolk Aarakocra.
As you finally get up and dressed you head to the kitchen area of your bungalow on the northern side of town near the overlook spire. You strap on your backpack and take flight, the first package is down to the docks and mr. Sestun Trev the water genasi man who runs them. You've always been a bit afraid of his glowering demeanor and his decorated eye patch that looks like a golden evil eye. You spy him from above monitoring the unloading of a cargo ship from Stoneport. He waves you over and you land nearby handing him the package. "Aye, thanks for this lad. Here's a silver for the flight." He hands you a silver coin minted with the Penthos seal. As you turn to go you see a familiar face helping to unload the ship. The strange beastshifter known as Kodi catches you looking. You almost turn to fly off but you remember that you were going to all meet up at the harvest festival at noon, you and your new group of friends.
Nooth Welker-
You were adopted by Honcho Panza, a human man who is married to a dwarven woman named Lassis Groundtooth. They have a son named Villi, your step brother of the past five years. You and your family run the Honcho Stables down by the main gate. You are an expert at horse care and stable craft. That said you often get bored with the job and wander away at any opportunity. Recently you have been hanging out with Ikki and Pippen as well as Kodi the weird bear kid who works down by the docks. Today though you are itching to get to the last day of the festival. You have your eye on a set of ornate throwing knives at the archery game. Unfortunately Honcho Panza has other plans for you today. "Allright, we have a lot to get to today. I want you to have all of these stalls mucked out and I need Abeline [a short squat shetland pony used by Bailincort Hopfoot] brushed and saddled by midday. If you get all of these chores done you can get to the festival by late afternoon. I'll be right under that tree shoeing the horses so I can keep an eye on you. Go on get to work, lad"
At noon by the fountain in the middle of the festival you all gather and watch the townsfolk get back into the swing of the celebration. The festival usually lasts a few days and all who have important jobs try to get their work done by noon to get back to the ales and dancing. As you all enjoy some fried dough and some pilfered alcohol maybe even doing shots of straight triple sec from the bottle stolen by Codi, you know just like regular adults do, you watch the crowd. What would you all like to do?
Roll perception check [DM Note: different checks result in different things. The old man and the cart is a figure you may have seen before. He tends to come annually to the harvest festival claiming to be from the Eigerlands and just a traveling merchant with wares from the west. You may also notice a couple of Halflings who walk a bit differently than others you have met. Their gait is a bit more rushed and their knees a bit knobbier. These are goblins in disguise looking for the kids. They are trying to get revenge for the Stirge wranglers. Their names are Cabby Broccoli and Istenmoff the offhanded. And last we have a regal looking Elven man with white hair and blue eyes. He wears expensive clothing and claims to be all the way from the Fletching. Mike's character can make a history check. It is Enric Maglar Lenshear a wealthy Elven business man and inventor. He is asking townsfolk if they have seen a man named King Arric Lee but he will settle for asking Adventure Team Grimm some questions as well. They seem to have left town again though.]
As you all mull over all of these interesting characters your friend Petey Pollivar walks up to you and shows you a strange item he has just purchased from the merchant. "Guys! check this out! and I got if for a steal, I'm a great haggler." He holds up a strange candle that sits atop a small tone skull. The candle is a dark burgundy red and the stone skull is a dark grey stone with flecks of crystal in it like Feldspar or Quartz. "Pretty cool huh!" He tells you all that he is going to take it home and then wants to meet back up for flavored ice in an hour. As he darts off he says "Oh and Yasmine got one too! she's over by the Panda man!" Sun Paw Kong can be found at the northern edge of the festival by the trees doing plays and puppet shows for the kids. He uses Druid magic to entertain.
[DM Note: Dusty Gorf seems like your classic homeless emo kid who thinks the world is always giving him a bum rap but in reality he is the Grand Nephew of the Duke. He is the son of Cadius Kerrigan and his Tielfling wife Filla Wintergreen. They all live in the castle in relative luxury. Currently he has purchased one of the candles and has taken it home. From their he will be tasked by his parents to do his studies in Eigerlands history.]
As the sun sets the townsfolk turn from food and sugar to alcohol and dancing. You watch as many of the parents stash their kids safely into their beds at home get their grandparents or baby sitters squared away and then get back to it. Pippen you hear the sound of your mother calling for you to head home. "Pippen! It's time to come in, it's getting late. That said if the nice Elven boy is squiring you around you can stay up another hour or so."
Ikki your parents won't be back until morning, though you have instructions to be in bed by 9. Codi you are on your own of course, but you do have work down by the docks at 8 am. Instead of going home you all wander about doing teenager stuff. Pippen give me a perception check based on smell. While you all walk you keep getting a strange smoky scent that comes at you in wispy waves. It smells a bit like burning moss mixed with sage. Suddenly you hear a scream come from the other side of town. Then another and another. You hear footsteps that turn into a run as a group of Kerra Guard rush past your position with Swords and staves drawn and ready. They run at full speed down the hill towards the main gate. As you watch them turn the corner and recede from view you hear a skritching sound like stone on stone. From the wall you watch as a white bony hand grasps the top of the wall, the bones flex and tighten and the arm comes over then a skull. A full human skeleton leaps down onto the dewy grass of the cold Autumn night below. It's eye sockets glow a faint red that flares a bit as it looks at you. Roll initiative!
[DM Note: The Candles that have been purchased by Petey and Gorf are summoning Undead creatures into the town. They are also slowly possessing the kids and turning them into demon minion by grafting demon souls onto their own. This renders the kids catatonic. Our team will have to travel into the woods at night in search of the old man from earlier in the festival. They will find him in a cemetery where he will raise zombies and fight them with a demon protector. On the way to the cemetery they will have to fight a group of goblins who blame them for killing their Worg and their Stirge Wranglers. These Goblins will be antagonists going forwards as well. If needed bring in the Troll from the first adventure!]
Structure
Exposition
You all stand over the bones and rags of the undead creatures. What would you like to do? [DM Note: Perception checks reveal the smells coming from the Pollivar House and Hammerash house. Both Petey and Yasmine lie in a near death state. History check DC 16 One of the team may remember last year when ATG saved a few teens on a farm by onsalm from being mauled to death by Scarecrows. The team found a book that was sold to the teens by someone who had come to the festival. ]
As you make your way towards the Pollivar house you can see through the side window that Petey lies their in his bed unmoving, his breath coming in ragged, shallow huffs. His cheeks look pale and his head breaks out into a cold sweat. Something is happening to him. Blizzard Hops is not around to solve this problem. Trusilla Fane sits next to his bed and frantically uses her communicator to contact one of the adventure teams or Hops himself but the device doesn't seem to be working. It instead is picking up strange whispers and voices that taunt and scream. [DM Note: A player could ask around for the name of the strange old man that has wandered into town the last few years. His name is Brannock Isseldorf or so he says. A town Kerra Guard like Arfred Willowhorne or Derek Jondunlass or Solin Knull would know the name. Arfred would be the one to put the pieces together after last years scarecrow incident.]
Members of the Kerra Guard search the town for the old man but no one seems to know where he took off to. It is decided to wait until morning and get a party of guards together to go look, but by then it may be too late. It is then that you realize that Morchu, Yasmine's father is frantically pleading with a guardsman to help his daughter. Yasmine as well has fallen into this strange trance as has three other children in town. You overhear Perrilan Nuct speaking with some of the parents. He is the Pastor at the Temple of Corsun in town. They plead almost yelling at him to do something. "I cannot my friends this is beyond my ability. Their are clerics or paladins with the power to do this but I am just a man of the cloth not a holy warrior. I can pray over them but nothing else." As the adults ponder and bicker over what to do next you overhear Perrilan Nuct speak in confidence to one of his alter servers, a tear in his eye. "I do not know how to tell them this but i doubt any of these children will survive until morning, There are dark forces at work."
[DM Note:The team should look for clues and set out that very night to find the old man. Using any skills at their disposal they should be able to find clues with investigation checks. The man has left Tellenor and headed into the Gallenon woods south of the town. He has headed to an ancient cemetery that exists in those woods that hasn't been used in over a century. Once there he will clamber into his mausoleum for the rest of the winter and slumber. He emerges in late spring to begin his soul harvest and minion making. Once the team catches up with him he will attack them with dozens of zombies and a demon he uses. The man himself is a half demon known as Polybius. He uses a stage name in his old man persona known as Brannock Isseldorf. He has very little power or strength which is why he summons others to protect him.]
Other threats and combats out in the woods. Goblins and Worgs attack! wanting revenge for their companions slain by the teen team last time. Not to mention one of their favorite Worgs named Zazu who loved pumpkins. Also if needed they can run into the troll again.
As you make your way towards the Pollivar house you can see through the side window that Petey lies their in his bed unmoving, his breath coming in ragged, shallow huffs. His cheeks look pale and his head breaks out into a cold sweat. Something is happening to him. Blizzard Hops is not around to solve this problem. Trusilla Fane sits next to his bed and frantically uses her communicator to contact one of the adventure teams or Hops himself but the device doesn't seem to be working. It instead is picking up strange whispers and voices that taunt and scream. [DM Note: A player could ask around for the name of the strange old man that has wandered into town the last few years. His name is Brannock Isseldorf or so he says. A town Kerra Guard like Arfred Willowhorne or Derek Jondunlass or Solin Knull would know the name. Arfred would be the one to put the pieces together after last years scarecrow incident.]
Members of the Kerra Guard search the town for the old man but no one seems to know where he took off to. It is decided to wait until morning and get a party of guards together to go look, but by then it may be too late. It is then that you realize that Morchu, Yasmine's father is frantically pleading with a guardsman to help his daughter. Yasmine as well has fallen into this strange trance as has three other children in town. You overhear Perrilan Nuct speaking with some of the parents. He is the Pastor at the Temple of Corsun in town. They plead almost yelling at him to do something. "I cannot my friends this is beyond my ability. Their are clerics or paladins with the power to do this but I am just a man of the cloth not a holy warrior. I can pray over them but nothing else." As the adults ponder and bicker over what to do next you overhear Perrilan Nuct speak in confidence to one of his alter servers, a tear in his eye. "I do not know how to tell them this but i doubt any of these children will survive until morning, There are dark forces at work."
[DM Note:The team should look for clues and set out that very night to find the old man. Using any skills at their disposal they should be able to find clues with investigation checks. The man has left Tellenor and headed into the Gallenon woods south of the town. He has headed to an ancient cemetery that exists in those woods that hasn't been used in over a century. Once there he will clamber into his mausoleum for the rest of the winter and slumber. He emerges in late spring to begin his soul harvest and minion making. Once the team catches up with him he will attack them with dozens of zombies and a demon he uses. The man himself is a half demon known as Polybius. He uses a stage name in his old man persona known as Brannock Isseldorf. He has very little power or strength which is why he summons others to protect him.]
Other threats and combats out in the woods. Goblins and Worgs attack! wanting revenge for their companions slain by the teen team last time. Not to mention one of their favorite Worgs named Zazu who loved pumpkins. Also if needed they can run into the troll again.
Conflict
- Food Available at the Fair
Honeyflame Bread - Fried Dough, soaked in Honey and coated in spices. 3sp - Cod Pieces - Breaded fish chunks fried in oil 1 sp Torsin
- Cheese Dumplings - 1sp
- Tentacular Noodles - Sea Anemone Tendrils coated in honey batter and fried. 2sp
- Dampfknudel - Steamed Roll served in sweet custard-3sp
- Pork Skewers - Chunks of roast pork with peppers and onion - 1sp
- Ryuzkiall - Sauteed Rice Noodles, hearty Mushrooms, and giant spider legs 5 sp
- Fried Dough - Dough rolled into long loaves and then fried and coated with sugar. 1sp.
- Corsa Cakes - Small round cakes made with strawberry and Rhubarb 5 cp.
- Baked Goat Flank - 5sp
- Flavor Ice- Raspberry, Elderberry, Lemon lime, Honey, Kettleberry (similar to blackberry), Rosewater, wine. 2cp.
- Drinks available -
- See drink menu for the Blizzard hops distillery.
- Spiced Wine - A winter favorite in Penthaheim it is a Merlot style wine warmed and spiced with a blend of herbs. 2sp
- Posset - An alcoholic nog made with milk eggs and bourbon and vodka. 4sp.
Rising Action
The Gallenon Forest
As you head out with your provisions and weapons strapped to your back you walk two hours south until you see the dark dense mass of trees in the distance. The night air is cold and you see wisps of white as you breath out with the exertion of the march. The smell of pine and dead leaves surrounds you as your boots crunch on bits of snow covering the wet ground. The sky above is clear and the two moons shine brightly giving you enough light to see even if you don't have dark vision. You press on into the forest and the trees get progressively taller and closer together. An old forest trail that most of you have probably walked or rode horses on is visible and easy to follow. New tracks of a carriage and light hoof prints can be seen with a good check. Mitchell can make an investigation check. On a 13 or higher he can tell that the hoof print is that of a donkey, the same animal used by Brannock and his strange carriage.
As you walk another half hour deep into the forest you begin to feel uneasy. Roll a perception check. On a success you can notice a form moving through the trees about 100 meters to the southeast. Or did you imagine it? what would you like to do?
The goblins are from the Eastern region of Penthaheim over the Archon River. They call themselves the Rustabill Clan. They claim they are a powerful group who outgrew their clan across the river and are claiming new territory. The reality is they were outcasts and expelled for being too aggressive. The current leaders for this group are Angla Burphooke a tough female, Porf Toughmudder a male with one eye, and Bezarr Crumpf a strong looking male. Their entire group only numbers around 20 with three Worgs. One of which Zazu was killed by Ikki back in adventure one.
"Well, well, well, if it isn't the dangerous children from Tellenor: Ickles, horned girl, and emo kid. You are going to pay for what you did to my worg kid." Angla hisses. From her right the other one eyed male whispers gruffly "And don't forget the Stirge wranglers Occle and Truff." Angla elbows him in the stomach. "Yeah yeah, them too. You little brats have been busy haven't you. But here you are all alone in the dark scary forest." The third goblin in a low flat voice says "Drop your weapons and gear and we may let you out of here alive."
Climax
You follow the tracks deeper into the woods. Pippen give me a Nature check DC 13. On a success you see the carriage tracks once more. On a fail you need to find a way to get your bearings. About a mile away is an old rusty gate. The black iron stands over 8 ft. tall and is attached to stone column. Clearly this was a strong stone wall at some point hundreds of years ago. Now the gate stands alone and the two sides hang against one another at an odd angle. Looking beyond you can see a stone walkway now covered in grass and weeds but white stone peeks out at intervals. As you move forward down the path even in the dark you can see old tombstones sticking out of bushes and in the distance a tall mausoleum with a wide stone walk way leading up to it.
A donkey stands drowsily next to a carriage. The carriage is brown with brightly colored edges around the door and the seats. Bright red, green and gold accents ring the wooden wheels and the sides. A sign proclaims "Brannocks goods and toys! " across the back. A fold down shelf can be dropped to display many items at once. Otherwise the whole area feels incredibly still and silent where you stand. What would you like to do?
[DM Note: Polybius will send zombies at them first. Then his aberrations and finally himself. ]
As you all stand there wondering how to proceed you hear shifting dirt to your right. A rending noise like two rocks being scraped together starts happening. First to your right, then the left and then behind you. Skeletal hands pop out of the ground some with some shred of flesh still clinging to them as the begin to pull their bodies out of the ground. These undead creatures now stand and begin to move towards you. At least 12 of the creatures lurch forward.
A donkey stands drowsily next to a carriage. The carriage is brown with brightly colored edges around the door and the seats. Bright red, green and gold accents ring the wooden wheels and the sides. A sign proclaims "Brannocks goods and toys! " across the back. A fold down shelf can be dropped to display many items at once. Otherwise the whole area feels incredibly still and silent where you stand. What would you like to do?
[DM Note: Polybius will send zombies at them first. Then his aberrations and finally himself. ]
As you all stand there wondering how to proceed you hear shifting dirt to your right. A rending noise like two rocks being scraped together starts happening. First to your right, then the left and then behind you. Skeletal hands pop out of the ground some with some shred of flesh still clinging to them as the begin to pull their bodies out of the ground. These undead creatures now stand and begin to move towards you. At least 12 of the creatures lurch forward.
Falling Action
Previously on the Rulebreakers, Sophmore Year
The rambunctious teens of Tellenor discovered another mystery threatening the town. An old man who comes into town every year around the harvest festival was spotted once more. Several kids around town wound up buying small candles sticking atop carved stone skulls. These candles were used by the old man to leach life force off of the children and also to summon undead creatures to vex the town so that he could make his getaway.
The morning of the last day of the harvest festival found our teens getting ready for their day. Pippen the satyr girl was awakened by her adopted parents in time for her elven language lessons. Nooth Welker, a Verdan kid living with Honcho Panza and his family was set out to muck the stables under the watchful eye of Honcho himself. Ikki, the aarokocran barbarian was tasked by his parents to complete the local deliveries around town as they flew to Penthos to deliver some larger packages. They were gone until the following afternoon, leaving Ikki up to his own devices. Dusty Gorf the emo Tielfling boy was wandering about town avoiding his family. Meeting up at the fountain after doing their chores they were seen by Petey Pollivar who rushed over to show them his new purchase. He mentioned that several kids in town had bought the same thing. Spotting several strangers at the festival Ikki noticed a strange pair of halflings and followed them. They turned out to be goblins looking for the teens who had killed their faithful Worg Zazu several days ago. Pippen, Nooth, and Dusty joined Ikki in setting a trap for the goblins. They attacked and killed the pair, attempting to hide the bodies in the bushes.
As the sun set and the children were placed in bed the older kids and adults enjoyed the last night of the festival. Suddenly skeletal undead creatures invaded the town and the guards were overwhelmed. Our teen warriors pitched in and destroyed several of the wretched creatures. Nooth Welker, an aspiring blade singer and wizard, used his arcane knowledge to find the source of the phenomena. He noticed a wave of arcane energy following into the woods to the south. Trekking in the middle of the night through the Gallenon forest they were faced with the rest of the goblins seeking vengeance. During the parlay Pippen rushed forward and attacked the leader. The battle was on and the teens killed the lot of them plus two more worgs.
After another hour of travel they came upon an old cemetery in the middle of the forest. Walking right by the carriage of the old man and the donkey who stared at them with an impressive four way critical fail. All ones by every player. Walking further in towards an old mausoleum zombies began to burst forth from the ground and surround them. They were chased into the mausoleum where they sealed the doors. Inside however was Brannock Isseldorf himself who summoned several abberant spirits to protect him. A hard fought battle found two of the teens clinging to life but with a final attack by Pippen on the half demon old man they were victorious.
The rambunctious teens of Tellenor discovered another mystery threatening the town. An old man who comes into town every year around the harvest festival was spotted once more. Several kids around town wound up buying small candles sticking atop carved stone skulls. These candles were used by the old man to leach life force off of the children and also to summon undead creatures to vex the town so that he could make his getaway.
The morning of the last day of the harvest festival found our teens getting ready for their day. Pippen the satyr girl was awakened by her adopted parents in time for her elven language lessons. Nooth Welker, a Verdan kid living with Honcho Panza and his family was set out to muck the stables under the watchful eye of Honcho himself. Ikki, the aarokocran barbarian was tasked by his parents to complete the local deliveries around town as they flew to Penthos to deliver some larger packages. They were gone until the following afternoon, leaving Ikki up to his own devices. Dusty Gorf the emo Tielfling boy was wandering about town avoiding his family. Meeting up at the fountain after doing their chores they were seen by Petey Pollivar who rushed over to show them his new purchase. He mentioned that several kids in town had bought the same thing. Spotting several strangers at the festival Ikki noticed a strange pair of halflings and followed them. They turned out to be goblins looking for the teens who had killed their faithful Worg Zazu several days ago. Pippen, Nooth, and Dusty joined Ikki in setting a trap for the goblins. They attacked and killed the pair, attempting to hide the bodies in the bushes.
As the sun set and the children were placed in bed the older kids and adults enjoyed the last night of the festival. Suddenly skeletal undead creatures invaded the town and the guards were overwhelmed. Our teen warriors pitched in and destroyed several of the wretched creatures. Nooth Welker, an aspiring blade singer and wizard, used his arcane knowledge to find the source of the phenomena. He noticed a wave of arcane energy following into the woods to the south. Trekking in the middle of the night through the Gallenon forest they were faced with the rest of the goblins seeking vengeance. During the parlay Pippen rushed forward and attacked the leader. The battle was on and the teens killed the lot of them plus two more worgs.
After another hour of travel they came upon an old cemetery in the middle of the forest. Walking right by the carriage of the old man and the donkey who stared at them with an impressive four way critical fail. All ones by every player. Walking further in towards an old mausoleum zombies began to burst forth from the ground and surround them. They were chased into the mausoleum where they sealed the doors. Inside however was Brannock Isseldorf himself who summoned several abberant spirits to protect him. A hard fought battle found two of the teens clinging to life but with a final attack by Pippen on the half demon old man they were victorious.
Related Organizations
Related Locations
Comments