Silence at the Al'Biq Outpost

Intro

The party is a surveillance task force of the Pyrhian Union Military (PUM) under the Kore Department of Development (KDD). The PUM is one of the few official standing militaries in the region and controlled by a council of the leaders of the Pyrhian Union. The KDD is the major technology and production branch of the PUM, heavily investing in weapons, armor, and the relatively new technology of Magitek.

The Mission

Commander Dolvon Grok, a large, muscular male Orc with a trained military posture, tasks the players with a standard reconnaissance mission. The party is on assignment to travel from Kore to the first outpost to the north (OP-C11) on the border of the Al'biq Desert. There, the PCs have been tasked with investigating why communication via SendCom has been breaking down over the past week, leading to a recent silence from the outpost.
In addition to the main mission, the team has been tasked with an in-person delivery of new military plans and general supplies (rations, equipment) to OP-C11 to be communicated and transferred out to other outposts. The party is given rations, traveling gear, riding lizards, and PUM Viewfinders (a special KDD-developed scope for seeing through illusions created by military devices) which they may need as they approach some outposts.

Observation Outposts

Observation outposts for the PUM are required to make scheduled check-ins via Sending Communication Device (or SendCom) to designated outposts which are then collated and relayed to the PUM HQ in Kore.
Each outpost is staffed by a 4-person team to ensure coverage and round-the-clock monitoring & surveillance. The teams rotate every so often and the shifts overlap in the morning and evening.
OP-C11 is an outpost stationed at the edge of the Genfreet Mountain Range, right before entering the Al'Biq Desert. It's responsible for relaying any communications from OP-G13 and OP-D15 to PUM HQ.

Travel from Kore to OP-C11

The group is provided transportation via riding lizard through some mountain passes to OP-C11. the path isn't particularly well-travelled, but it's used by the PUM and relatively hidden and secure.

Encounters

Harpies. About halfway to the outpost, two harpies appear as they hunt for food a bit too close to the road. Unless the players are hidden, the harpies attack them in the hopes they can swipe whatever they have on them.
Falling rocks. If the players make any loud noises or quakes as they travel or during the Harpy fight, a rock slide may be triggered (potentially during the fight).

• DC 12 Acrobatics if on foot or DC 10 Animal Handling if on a riding lizard to dodge incoming rocks
• Can also avoid without a save by using some spells or equipment
• On a failed save, take 2d8 bludgeoning damage

Eventually the party will come upon where OP-C11 is marked on the map but the road appears to be a dead end into a mountainside. With the PUM Viewfinder however, the outpost becomes visible.

OP-C11

Observation outpost OP-C11 is relieved for the live contact but has some concerning news: they haven't heard from OP-G13 for the past week. There were some odd noises that they reported in, which OP-C11 claims to have relayed to PUM HQ. The party is the first to arrive since then so the outpost crew assumes they're the backup HQ sent to check out OP-C11. Unfortunately, the message was never received due to some heavy sandstorm interference (the outpost crew recalls this if pressed). A DC 10 History or Arcana check will allow the players to recall some briefing material that the sandstorms in the Al'Biq Desert seem to disrupt magical activity in areas they pass through, causing them to act strangely or become temporarily suppressed. Otherwise, the outpost crew should be able to provide this information if asked. When the players arrive, the following crew are staffed at OP-C11:

• Greg Parish - Human male (awake)
• Ralt Glolam - Half-orc male (awake)
• Philis - Warforged female (asleep)
• Cherry Fleetfoot - Halfling female (asleep)

The OP-C11 crew plead with the party to check on OP-G13, they're worried something may have happened and they can't abandon their post investigate.

Travel from OP-C11 to OP-G13

Travel from OP-C11 to OP-G13 takes about 6 hours by riding lizard (9 hours by foot), is long, dry, and hot. The sun is constantly overhead and the while the sky is clear of sandstorms, the wind is still harsh and occasionally blowing sand in everyone's faces, making it hard to navigate.

• A successful DC 15 Survival check will allow the players to reach their destination in only 5 hours
• DC 12 Survival check for 6 hours
• A failure will cause the journey to take 8 hours

Encounters

Giant Centipedes. Halfway through the journey, six giant centipedes appear. With a DC 14 passive Perception (or an active check with the same DC if the party keeps an eye out while traveling), the party notices some shifting of the sand not caused by the wind. Suddenly, one of the centipedes attacks the legs of the party member in the middle of the marching order for a surprise round and the other five appear on either side of the party in regular initiative.
Awakened Cactus. If the party chooses to rest, a DC 15 Perception check by someone on watch (with darkvision or some light source) discovers a cactus where there wasn't one before the group made camp. Otherwise, the party discovers this when they wake up. Awakened cacti are not aggressive and will only attack actively at night if someone is in both in their oasis territory and acting violently towards the plant life there. They tend to keep to themselves and as long as no damage comes to the cacti in the area will leave the party alone. They are curious however and will approach when they know no one is watching so they can observe. Like other animate inanimate objects, they are generally indistinguishable from normal cacti while not moving. This cactus will only stand in the same place for the entire time the party is resting, packing, and leaving. It will only move if prodded with a weapon, which a player can notice with a DC 13 passive or active Perception or Investigation check and will attempt to run away at a speed plus dash of 80 ft per round if attacked.

OP-G13

OP-G13 is a dune outpost, a two story building mostly buried in sand except for a window area that looks out over the rest of the desert. Illusion magic hides the whole building beyond the real sand, making it appear as a large dune. The entrance is on one side of the dune, anyone with a PUM Viewfinder can see through the illusion and make out the top half of the building, the observation windows, and part of the first floor and its door.

Main floor

OP-G13 is also deserted. The outpost was staffed by

• Craig Kardell - Half-elf male
• Jerry Milifenk- Gnome male
• Miffen Pendel - Human female
• Pertz Fenborn- Tiefling male

When the party arrives, the base is empty except for a some smallish cracks in the walls where unswept sand is slowly seeping through onto piles on the floor. There's a table, 4 chairs, a carpet, and staircase leading upwards. Upon DC 15 investigation there is also a basement under a wooden trap door covered by a carpet. The carpet is fastened to the top of the trap door for easier coverage.

Upstairs

Upstairs are the separated living quarters and outpost lookout. In the lookout area, there's a table and two chairs, on the table are two sets of PUM standard issue binoculars. Searching the living quarters thoroughly, the players find:

• A deck of cards
• Dragon chess set
• Chests with rations and casual and sand camouflage military uniforms
• Journal of Craig "Kard" Kardell
  • After reading the journal, the party can easily find the trap door to the basement under the carpet

Basement

The basement is pitch black and full of crates, an ice chest, and dry dusty air. On the sides of the ladder are two slots for torches but both are empty. With some light (or dark vision) a large crack is visible in the back corner past some boxes that appear to have been pushed out of the way. The crack that leads into a crumbled tunnel which in turn leads to a cavern.

The Cavern

The cavern is large, about 50 feet in diameter and 30 feet tall, and has a few other tunnels that jut off from the sides and far end. Within the chamber there are many stalactites and stalagmites, disrupting some direct lines of sight. Nothing is visible in here without darkvision or a light source.

• A DC 12 Perception check or passive perception will notice the fallen torches near the entrance to the hole the PCs just came out of and some bits of torn webbing
• A DC 15 Perception check will reveal some webbing scattered around the entrances and 4 bundled cocoons near the center of the area behind some stalagmites
• A DC 20 Perception check will reveal the giant spider hanging 10 feet above the hole the PCs just exited from

Encounters

Phase Spider & Zombies. Once noticed, or when the party tries to leave, the giant spider attacks.

• On turn 3 or at 50% health, the phase spider shrieks. Three of the cocoons burst open near some stalagmites and three zombies join the fight.

Pertz is still alive in his cocoon and can be freed and armed to help in the fight (use the Guard stat block). Otherwise, the players hear his muffled shouting and/or see his cocoon shaking during and after the fight until freed.

The Return

Once freed and the fight concluded, Pertz (if still alive), thanks the party for rescuing him. He mourns the loss of the rest of his crew and refuses to stay at the outpost unless the crack is sealed or someone stays with him, and only until a new rotation arrives after which point he'll be applying for desk duty. The party makes their way back to PUM without issue over the course of a day and are thanked and congratulated by Commander Grok, who says he'll put in a good word for them on their next assignment and that he'll see to it they get a bonus for their heroic efforts.

Themes

Potential sighting of creatures native to to the Genfreet Mountain Range:

• Eagle
• Goat
• Blood hawk
• Stirge
• Giant goat
• Crag Cat
• Giant eagle
• Lion
• Cave bear
• Giant elk
• Saber-toothed tiger

Potential sightings of creatures native to the Al'Biq Desert 

• Hyena
• Jackal
• Lizard
• Scorpion
• Vulture
• Camel
• Poisonous snake
• Stirge
• Constrictor snake
• Giant centipede
• Giant lizard
• Giant poisonous snake
• Giant wolf spider
• Giant hyena
• Giant spider
• Giant vulture
• Aurochs
• Giant constrictor snake
• Giant scorpion

Plot type

One Shot

Related Organizations

• Kore Department of Development
• Pyrhian Union Military

Related Locations

• Al'Biq Desert