For the Children

This adventure is designed for 4 Ultra Modern characters that are level 15 with cybernetics, magic items and ladders in use. The focus of this encounter should be on roleplaying out the conflict that is going on within the Gnoll community. This is a chance to bring an emotional aspect into the game. Allow the party to struggle with the moral and ethical challenges that the NPCs are presenting them. This is a messy world with everything in shades of grey, this adventure is a time to highlight that.

Rewards

Mirogoh Gnasher is CR 16 and as such is worth 15,000 XP. The party should be awarded this XP if they are able to achieve their goal, regardless if that involved combat or persuasion. Also consider awarding additional XP to the party for getting into the roleplaying or for the creative use of their skill set. Ultra Modern has character designs that can really shine outside of combat and this is the perfect adventure to allow those kinds of characters to use those skill sets.

Plot points/Scenes

The party can find Mirogoh Gnasher at the stone circle. He is there with a group of 10 other gnolls who support him. These gnolls will not fight the party unless they or Mirogoh are directly attacked. Mirogoh Gnasher will explain his position to the party if asked. He is angry that the clan is not hunting Ebonie and that his people have not gotten Justice. He is afraid that they will loose the few cubs that they have to her and other people like her. He feels that it is important that the clan make it known that their people are not vulnerable and that they cannot be abused without there being consequences. He feels that this is important to ensure the long term safety of his people.

Themes

Justice vs Injustice
There are no clear right or wrong answers and thus not a clear bad guy

Gnara is putting the focus on maintaining the overall stability of the clan and she values there not being conflict within the clan since she fears that this could lead to internal fighting. On the other hand, Mirogoh Gnasher is focused on their people having safety and justice. He thinks that it is worth having internal conflict if he can ensure that the cubs are kept safe and that his people are no longer being abused. Niether person in wrong in their belief set, but it does put them in opposition of each other.

Structure

Conflict

Ebonie is being protected by Franz Draco. This means that going after her would require a direct assault on the Draco Estate. Thus, Gnara is afraid that Draco would interpret this as an act of war rather then one or retaliation. Mirogoh Gnasher believes that it is worth risking the wrath of Draco since they are already allowing the Gnoll cubs to taken and grossly abused. He does not feel that overt war would be worse for his people.

Resolution

The party can fight and defeat Mirogoh Gnasher. He will submit to them if he looses a battle to them as he will believe that this is the party telling him to submit or die. He does not believe that his death will accomplish anything and thus he will submit.
He will also submit if the party gives him their word to kill Ebonie. However, he must be given a firm dead line not vague promises for him to feel that this has value.

Be sure to consider the impact that the party's choices will have on their relationship with the River Paw Clan. If they fight or even kill Mirogoh Gnasher there will be those within the clan that will consider them enemies because they have harmed a powerful and important Gnoll who was only interested in helping his people. If they choose to help him and are able to kill Ebonie then they will become heroes in the eyes of all the clan members. If they fail or choose not to hunt Ebonie after making that promise then they would be viewed very negatively by the clan. Additionally, failing to keep their promise to kill Ebonie would result in this problem renewing itself. However, it is unlikely that Gnara would seek the party's assistance in the matter a second time. She would likely hire Qhall to take care of the matter for her. Qhall does not ask questions, he would simply make sure that Mirogoh Gnasher was dead and could no longer cause Gnara any problems.

Components

Goals

Gnara wants the party to get Mirogoh Gnasher to submit. She prefers that they find a way to do this without causing him harm, but she accepts that this means that he might need to die. She believes that Mirogoh Gnasher's death would be better then the clan falling into full internal conflict.

Hooks

Gnara will ask them to help her with some fighting within her Gnoll community. She will explain that Mirogoh is trying to take control of her clan. She warns that this could mean a more aggressive Gnoll community if he were to win. She asks that the players kill him, otherwise he will continue to try. She tells them that he can be found at the stone circle.

Stakes

The stability of the Riverpaw Clan
The cubs of the Riverpaw Clan
The Moot agreement

Moral Quandaries

If the team goes to speak with Mirogoh, he will explain to them that he has been opposing Gnara because she has refused to pursue Ebonie Wiggins. He explains that he believes that Ebonie's sins against his people are unforgivable and cannot be left unaccounted for. He believes that doing so is allowing her the freedom to commit these atrocities again either against his people or against another group. But Mirogoh is convinced that as long as Ebonie is alive she will continue to conduct wicked research that harms others.

Red Herrings

Mirogoh Gnasher is not who he claims to be. He is not the noble defender of the clan and it is important that you read through his character profile. It is not likely that the party will uncover his true nature during this adventure, but it is important that the DM understands that this isn't really about saving the children.

Relations

Allies

Adversaries

Ebonie Wiggins

Character | Sep 24, 2023

Backdrops

Locations

The conflict with Mirogoh Gnasher takes place in the stone circle near the gnoll caves. Any battle map of a stone circle or a clearing in a forest can be used of the purpose of any battle conflict that happens here. I personally used this map: