CC: Act 1: Adventure 1: The Taste of Grove Juice
Tano, the new CEO of Tagera Group, has been making some questionable decisions. She sanctioned a new project, Grove Juice, which utilizes materials from a dark forest. The drink contains properties that are highly addictive, increase worker productivity, operate as a mild mental sedative, and has traces of mind control magic. Among the plants used to create the product are the eggs of a lost species of sentient parasites, the Seraph.
When Dak sent in a strike team, led by Tirve Sugo, to investigate strange readings, one of the eggs hatched. Tirve Sugo was infected with a Seraph named Nuriel. Fighting for control of Tirve, the Seraph used potent samples of Grove Juice to dominate the minds of Tirves' team.
Since then Tagera Group has kept the site locked up tight and blocked communications. Was it an accident or did Tano have something more sinister in mind? Can Tirve Sugo be saved? What will happen when the product goes live?
GM Notes
The adventure is designed for a party of 5 level 1 adventurers
This was designed to be played in a cyberpunk setting but should be easily adaptable to any setting. You can find more info on my world via my World Anvil page.
The adventure continues in CC: Act 1: Adventure 2: Plagued Sewers, starts CC: Act 1: Poison the Well (levels 1-5)
This adventure was designed to be a part of the level 1-20 adventure CC: Campaign: Condemned Cradles
The adventure is expected to take 2-4 hours to play
It was designed to be a short introductory adventure that could be played after completing a session 0
2 short rests and no long rests are expected during this adventure
For maps, VTT, NPC art, updates on upcoming adventures, discord access, and help prepping this adventure to run at your table check me out on World Anvil and Patreon!
The adventure takes place in The Hallowed Expanse, a galaxy that was once connected by a series of rift-gates. In the long past the Seraph, led by Razael, nearly dominated all life. The ancients were forced the close the rift-gates, isolating the worlds of the galaxy. 151 years ago, the rifts began opening once more.
The Human species has only recently made their way into The Hallowed Expanse. Traveling aboard their ship-city, The Orion, they seek to find a new home. Now cohabiting with several species from across the galaxy, people are starting to get hope for the first time in generations. In the meantime, the citizens do their best to surivive under the corptocracy run by the Orion Corporate Council.
If it helps, you can read my personal notes from when I ran the session here: CC: Session 1: Druid Juice Report
Since this was intended as a starting adventure, I tried to keep it simple. I told all my players that the one requirement for their character was that they were desperate for cash (very fitting for a cyberpunk setting). Then I had the each character receive a message from Dak. Now that I have the larger adventure flushed out though CC: Act 1: Poison the Well, there are a few other possible hooks I can think of. You can also use these to help tie players to the campaign.
Below are random encounters and clues.
The "random encounters" have been considered in the math for the formula and should be used to keep the encounter balance. That said, I use random encounters to reinforce story themes and/or stir up the game. So rather than writing them in, I like to keep them separate. This allows me the freedom to drop them on the table when it would be the most interesting. Likewise, if the party is especially struggling on resources or time is short, I might cut one. If you plan on running the rest of this adventure series, these encounters should help reinforce the story's themes. If not, this is a good opportunity to rewrite the encounters to better serve your story.
Similarly, the clues section represents information that the party might discover when exploring. This is also how I sow future plot points and add to the exploration pillar. Rather than place them in the adventure, I like to leave them flexible. When a player searches a body, taps into a computer, and questions an NPC, I roll on my list of clues and adapt that info to the situation. It also allows me to tie the secrets to their specific abilities (rogue stealing a file, druid talking with an animal, the barbarian intimidating someone for info, etc.). If you are not planning on using the rest of this adventure arc, I recommend writing clues to seed future story beats.
Timers are how I keep a lid on my adventures. If I design an adventure around the expectation of 2 short rests and no long rests, then I would use a "timer" that ensures the adventure must be completed in that timeframe. These can be mechanical. but usually, they are abstract. It is just the reason that you need to do this, NOW!
Dak or Runi Sugo would be able to tell the party that Grove 16 has been implanted with a virus that will clear all local files. It will take 12 hours to run. During that time, the local computers 'should' be disconnected from the cloud. This means that this is the one chance they have to go in without being noticed by Tagera Group. If they are noticed, there is nothing Dak, or anyone else, can do to protect them from Tano's wrath.
The adventure begins when the players are sent a a cryptic message from Dak. He is worried about being spied on, the recording shows as little as possible, and then it self-deletes. Players should hear the urgency and worry in his voice. He tells them that he will pay them 100 credits (gold) each if they complete a job for him, but it has to be tonight. He will then tell the players to meet him at a nearby club for more info (in my adventure I used Gearheads, but any tavern or loud place will do). Note: since this is a level 1 adventure, I suggest having Dak run a little late and use this opportunity to introduce the characters.
Dak is nervous and obviously worried about the consequences of his current actions. He provides the party with the following info:
At anytime before the party reaches Grove 16, you can use a random encounter (listed above).
When Dak sent in a strike team, led by Tirve Sugo, to investigate strange readings, one of the eggs hatched. Tirve Sugo was infected with a Seraph named Nuriel. Fighting for control of Tirve, the Seraph used potent samples of Grove Juice to dominate the minds of Tirves' team.
Since then Tagera Group has kept the site locked up tight and blocked communications. Was it an accident or did Tano have something more sinister in mind? Can Tirve Sugo be saved? What will happen when the product goes live?
GM Notes
Setting
The adventure takes place in The Hallowed Expanse, a galaxy that was once connected by a series of rift-gates. In the long past the Seraph, led by Razael, nearly dominated all life. The ancients were forced the close the rift-gates, isolating the worlds of the galaxy. 151 years ago, the rifts began opening once more.
The Human species has only recently made their way into The Hallowed Expanse. Traveling aboard their ship-city, The Orion, they seek to find a new home. Now cohabiting with several species from across the galaxy, people are starting to get hope for the first time in generations. In the meantime, the citizens do their best to surivive under the corptocracy run by the Orion Corporate Council.
NPCs and Organizations
- Dak: Dak is an AI Construct who has been working undercover at Tagera Group. Concerned about anomalies, he seeks out some contractors to discover the truth.
- Tagera Group: A corporation run by, Tano, utilizing druids to obtain a monopoly on food, water, and natural resources.
- Runi Sugo: A Sun Elf who moved to the area with her twin sister Tirve. As an expert hacker, she easily found skilled work, but her sister has not been as lucky. After he sister mysteriously stopped responding, she began researching what she has been up to with Tagera Group.
- Tirve Sugo: The twin sister of Runi. Since coming to the area she has been taking armed jobs for Tagera Group. She recently was sent into Grove 16 to investigate disturbances. During her mission she was infected with Nuriel and is now fighting for the right to control her own mind.
- Nuriel: A freshly hatched Seraph fighting to take control of their host and awaken their nesting siblings.
- Crumbs (optional): Crumbs is a down on his luck cabbie who is in massive debt. He is a loveable kid who has had a rough break. He is used in later adventures, so if you plan to run those, this could be a good time to introduce him.
Prep Notes
If it helps, you can read my personal notes from when I ran the session here: CC: Session 1: Druid Juice Report
Monsters Used
- Cultist (CR 1/8, 25 XP, MM 345)
- Cult Fanatic (CR 2, 450, MM 345)
- Thug (CR 1/2, 100 XP, MM 350)
- Needle Blight (CR 1/4, 50 XP, MM 32)
- Guard (CR 1/8, 25 XP, MM 347)
- Kobold (CR 1/8, 25 XP, MM 195)
Treasure
- 500 Gold
- Sugo's Cybernetic Jacket (Cloak of Protection)
Hooks
Since this was intended as a starting adventure, I tried to keep it simple. I told all my players that the one requirement for their character was that they were desperate for cash (very fitting for a cyberpunk setting). Then I had the each character receive a message from Dak. Now that I have the larger adventure flushed out though CC: Act 1: Poison the Well, there are a few other possible hooks I can think of. You can also use these to help tie players to the campaign.
- A character is, or has a connect who is, an employee at Tagera Group and concerned about what is happening at Grove 16.
- Someone in the party personally knows Tirve Sugo or Runi Sugo and is concerned about the disappearance. You can use this hook to bypass Dak all together if you need.
- The group is working with a fixer (such as a patron from Tasha's) that connects them to the job.
- An NPC important to the players has tried a promotional sample of Grove Juice and has been acting strangely.
Tools
Below are random encounters and clues.
The "random encounters" have been considered in the math for the formula and should be used to keep the encounter balance. That said, I use random encounters to reinforce story themes and/or stir up the game. So rather than writing them in, I like to keep them separate. This allows me the freedom to drop them on the table when it would be the most interesting. Likewise, if the party is especially struggling on resources or time is short, I might cut one. If you plan on running the rest of this adventure series, these encounters should help reinforce the story's themes. If not, this is a good opportunity to rewrite the encounters to better serve your story.
Similarly, the clues section represents information that the party might discover when exploring. This is also how I sow future plot points and add to the exploration pillar. Rather than place them in the adventure, I like to leave them flexible. When a player searches a body, taps into a computer, and questions an NPC, I roll on my list of clues and adapt that info to the situation. It also allows me to tie the secrets to their specific abilities (rogue stealing a file, druid talking with an animal, the barbarian intimidating someone for info, etc.). If you are not planning on using the rest of this adventure arc, I recommend writing clues to seed future story beats.
Timers are how I keep a lid on my adventures. If I design an adventure around the expectation of 2 short rests and no long rests, then I would use a "timer" that ensures the adventure must be completed in that timeframe. These can be mechanical. but usually, they are abstract. It is just the reason that you need to do this, NOW!
Random Encounters
- 5 guards (250 XP, MD): The guards work for Tagera Group and have been set the ensure the local population doesn't ask too many questions. They generally bully the locals, harass individuals, and act like they own the area. They are cowards who hide behind their power and only start fights they know they can win. They use intimidation and numbers to get their way. If confronted, they will defend themselves but will retreat the second they feel outmatched (likely with the goal to return to their boss back at HQ).
- 5 Kobolds (250 XP, MD): The kobolds are disguised (poorly) and only out at night. They are working to put up posters to promote Grove Juice for Tano and/or Tagera Group. They are easily frightened, and will flee the second they feel heat on them. They are not intelligent or well informed. Overall, they are far more scared of Tano than they would ever fear the party.
Clues
| 1 | The fungi used to make Grove Juice is highly addictive, increases worker productivity, operates as a mild mental sedative, and has traces of mind control magic. |
| 2 | Seraph are a long-forgotten species that once almost dominated the galaxy. If the party has heard of them (which is unlikely), it as a myth. |
| 3 | Tagera is fully aware of what is going on in Grove 16 and making no efforts to slow or stop it. |
| 4 | Tirve is still early in the process of being dominated by Nuriel. If she returns to the home of her people, Kapaska, there may be hope. |
| 5 | Without a constant intake of Grove Juice, the effects will wear off. If Tirve's team can be taken alive and detoxed, they will likely recover. |
| 6 | Large shipments of Grove Juice have been sent toGoopy Springs Wastewater and Sanitation, a facility owned by Tagera Group. |
| 7 | Someone called The Recruiter has been reaching out to Nuriel and giving them instructions. |
| 8 | The specific formula for Grove Juice is in the hands of a Gurun named Poison. |
| 9 | Dak has been identified as a mole and Tagera Group is implanting a virus to clear sensitive information. |
| 10 | Tano is planning a "hostile" takeover of Scorpio Electrics. |
Timer
Dak or Runi Sugo would be able to tell the party that Grove 16 has been implanted with a virus that will clear all local files. It will take 12 hours to run. During that time, the local computers 'should' be disconnected from the cloud. This means that this is the one chance they have to go in without being noticed by Tagera Group. If they are noticed, there is nothing Dak, or anyone else, can do to protect them from Tano's wrath.
Running the Adventure
The adventure begins when the players are sent a a cryptic message from Dak. He is worried about being spied on, the recording shows as little as possible, and then it self-deletes. Players should hear the urgency and worry in his voice. He tells them that he will pay them 100 credits (gold) each if they complete a job for him, but it has to be tonight. He will then tell the players to meet him at a nearby club for more info (in my adventure I used Gearheads, but any tavern or loud place will do). Note: since this is a level 1 adventure, I suggest having Dak run a little late and use this opportunity to introduce the characters.
Dak is nervous and obviously worried about the consequences of his current actions. He provides the party with the following info:
- Something has gone terribly wrong in Grove 16
- The last group sent in has stopped reporting in, but they are still on site.
- He is concerned that there is a cover-up
- He can set them up with a ride through a local cabbie (Crumbs)
- He can explain the timer, if you are using it
At anytime before the party reaches Grove 16, you can use a random encounter (listed above).
Plot points/Scenes
Reaching Grove 16
When the party reaches Grove 16 they see a small complex surrounded by wire (refer to map).
- The main gates are closed and locked.
- There are pools of water surrounding the building
- There are large fungal growths and sickly-looking trees
- There are several barrels each labeled with Grove Juice
- There is a front door lit by spotlights and a back door (locked) that is hidden in shadows.
- The player with the highest passive perception notices someone attempting to hack (or scry) the players (Runi Sugo)
- If enough noise is made outside Grove 16, 2 cultists from room 1 will come and investigate.
Running Runi
Runi Sugo (Thug, 100, Easy) has been tracking her sister Tirve Sugo since she went dark. Knowing her sister is in Grove 16 she has been preparing to get in and try to save her from an abandoned building across the street. She is naturally distrusting of anyone she suspects might work for a corporation and likes to assess from the dark. The party may seek her out by seeking out the hack, she may approach the party, or she may wait and sneak in behind them. She will make her best judgment based on the player's behavior. Her primary goal is to find and save her sister. She feels immense guilt over her sisters and is willing to put herself in harm's way to protect her. If she is still in hiding when the party confronts Nuriel, she will promptly enter.
She knows:
- There are 4 other people besides her sister and they sometimes patrol the perimeter.
- No one has visited the location recently
- The power surge is not total, there is someone still spying on the place - but it is subtle
Grove 16
One of the many processing plants utilized by Tagera Group, Grove 16 is central in the launch of Grove Juice. The factory primarily processes the fungus BP224, which was discovered on a nearby moon. The fungus also spreads rapidly and has a symbiotic relationship with the Seraph. Secretions from the fungi are pivotal to the development of Seraph eggs and help provide the necessary conditions to produce more.
General Features:
- There is generally no light, the cultists carry glowsticks
- There are several pools of water. These are riddled with fungi and count as difficult terrain.
- The doors are all made of metal
- The walls are made of concrete and covered in small mushrooms
- Ceilings are 10 feet high
- It is humid and slightly misty
Room 1: Sanitation and Exports
- There are 2 mind-controlled members of Tirve Sugo's team prepping Grove Juice for the send-off and 2 more in room 2. If trouble happens in either location, the other group will join in 1 round. (cultists, 200 XP, MD). Nuriel has given them special, hand-made, concentrated doses of Grove Juice producing the effect of dominate person (8th level). The individuals have been instructed to process Grove Juice and protect the facility. The effects last for 8 hours.
- Crates contain market versions of Grove Juice
- A door connects to Room 2
Room 2: Processing
- The other 2 team members mentioned in Room 1 are in this room. They are working to process the Grove Juice product.
- Several eggs are pulsing around the room (they are still several days from hatching).
- A door leads to room 3.
Room 3: Control Room
- Players with a passive perception of 15 notice a security camera watching them
- The computer is non-responsive as a result of the water overflow from room 4
- A door leads to room 4
- The door to room 5 is locked. Reactivating the console in room 4 will open the door.
- If the players make enough noise Nuriel (cult fanatic) will hide and prepare to confront the party when the opportunity fits them best.
Room 4: The Main Unit
- A large mechanical device is processing water and fungi
- It is sparking from the water overflow
- Several more Seraph eggs rest in the room
- If the party interfaces and repairs the unit, the door to room 5 will unlock
Room 5: The Greenery
- Nuriel, whom has begun the process of taking over Tirve Sugo's body, is prepping new eggs to eventually take Seraph hosts. They are still freshly hatched and trying their best to make sense of the world, but without a guide they are operating under pure instinct.
- Once Nuriel determines the party is a threat they will do their best to remove them. Once they reach 20% HP, they will try to flee. Runi Sugo will do their best to make sure Tirve Sugo is taken alive.
Resolving the Adventure
Tano, the CEO of Tagera Group, has been watching the entire event unfold. As soon as Nuriel fails her, she will activate protocols for the demolition of the facility. This is merely a thorn in the side of her much larger plans.
If Runi Sugo is still alive and Tirve Sugo is taken captive, she will want to return to the home-world of the Sun Elfs (Kapaska). Runi will explain that she believed the Seraph to be just a myth, something the elders spoke off to scare children. She is deeply worried and suggests the party go public with the information. Runi also has a small apartment that she has rigged up to be hidden from the prying eyes of the Orion Corporate Council. She offers her apartment, The Blacksite, to the party. As she will no longer need it. If she is dead, the party may learn of the site by other means.
Either way, Dak will pay the party as promised, but Tagera Group will activate a virus to delete most of his core functions (as they have determined who their rat is).
The adventure continues in CC: Act 1: Adventure 2: Plagued Sewers and through CC: Act 1: Poison the Well. If you are interested in the ongoing larger adventure, please check out my Patreon for updates!
Backdrops
Locations
Art Credit: Plantation Chamber by St-Pete
Plot type
1st level Adventure
Related Characters
Related Organizations
Related Locations
Related Session Reports
