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Strangers in the
Night
A One-Round D&D LIVING GREYHAWK®
Geoff Regional Introductory Adventure
Version 1.0
Round 1
by Michael McKweon
A small group of farmers outside of Hochoch is menaced in the night. Other "adventures" have laughed
at the pittance the farmers have offered as a reward. Will the true heroes of answer the call and help the
common folk?
DUNGEONS & DRAGONS, D&D, GREYHAWK and RPGA are registered trademarks of
Wizards of the Coast, Inc. LIVING GREYHAWK is a trademark of Wizards of the Coast,
Inc. Scenario detail copyright 2001 by Wizards of the Coast, Inc. ALL RIGHTS
RESERVED. This scenario is intended for tournament use only and may not be
reproduced without approval of the RPGA Network.
This is an RPGA® Network scenario for the certain times of play. For example, the players are
Dungeons & Dragons® game. A four-hour time not free to consult the Dungeon Master’s Guide
block has been allocated for each round of this when confronted with a trap or hazard, or the
scenario, but the actual playing time will be closer to Monster Manual when confronted with a monster.
three hours. The rest of the time is spent in Some of the text in this scenario is written so
preparation before game play, and scoring after the that you may present it as written to the players,
game. The following guidelines are here to help while other text is for your eyes only. Text for the
you with both the preparation and voting segment of players will be in gray boxes. It’s strongly
the game. Read this page carefully so that you recommended that you paraphrase the player text
know and can communicate to your players the instead of reading it aloud. Some of this text is
special aspects of playing an RPGA scenario. general and must be adapted to the specific
situation or to actions of the player characters.
Preparation
First you should print this scenario. This scenario Scoring
was created to support double-sided printing, but After the players have completed the scenario or
printing it single sided will work as well. There is the time allotted to run the scenario has run out, the
enough room along the inside margin to bind the players and DM score the game. The RPGA has
adventure, if you desire. three ways to score its games. Consult your
Read this entire adventure at least once before convention coordinator to determine which method
you run your game. Be sure to familiarize yourself to use for this scenario:
with any special rules, spells, or equipment 1. No-vote scoring: The players write their names
presented in the adventure. It may help to highlight and RPGA numbers on the scoring packet grid.
particularly important passages. You fill in the top of the grid. That is all. No
When you run an RPGA D&D adventure we one is rated. This method is used for people
assume that you have access to the following who are just playing for fun.
books: the Player’s Handbook, the Dungeon 2. Partial scoring: The players rate the game
Master’s Guide, and the Monster Manual. We also master and the scenario on their player voting
assume that you have a set of dice (at least one d4, sheet, and provide personal information, but
d6, d8, d10, d12, and d20), some scrap paper, a don’t vote for other players. The game master
pencil, an RPGA scoring packet, and your sense of rates the scenario and completes personal and
fun. It is also a good idea to have a way to track event information, but does not rate the players
movement during combat. This can be as simple as a team or vote for players. This method is
as a pad of graph paper and a pencil, as handy as used when there is no competition, but the
a vinyl grid map and chits, or as elaborate as resin event coordinator wants information on how the
dungeon walls and miniatures. game masters are performing, or the game
Instruct the players either to prepare their master wants feedback on his or her own
characters now, or wait until you read the performance.
introduction, depending on the requirements of the 3. Voting: Players and game masters complete
scenario as described in the introduction. the entire packet, including voting for best
Keep in mind that you must have at least four player. If this method is used, be sure to allow
players (not counting the DM), for the game session about 15-20 minutes for the players to briefly
to be a sanctioned RPGA event. As well, you describe their characters to the other players,
cannot have more than seven players participating and about 5-10 minutes for voting. This
in the game. method is used when the players want to know
Once you are ready to play, it is handy to who played the “best” amongst the group, or
instruct each player to place a nametag in front of when the adventure is run in tournament format
him or her. The tag should have the player’s name with winners and prizes.
at the bottom, and the character’s name, race, and
gender at the top. This makes it easier for the When using voting, rank the players in order of your
players (and the DM) to keep track of who is playing voting choice while they are completing their forms,
which character. so that you are not influenced by their comments on
The players are free to use the game rules to your abilities. It’s a good idea to have the players
learn about equipment and weapons their vote while you determine treasure and experience
characters are carrying. That said, you as the DM awards for the scenario.
can bar the use of even core rule books during
This is a LIVING GREYHAWK Adventure. As a 3. Sum the results of 1 and 2, and divide by
LIVING adventure it is expected that players bring the number of characters playing in the
their own characters with them. It players fo not adventure – round up.
have a LIVING GREYHAWK character generated,
4. If you are running a table of six PCs, add
get a copy of the current LIVING GREYHAWK
one to that average.
character generation guidelines, and a character
sheet from your convention coordinator or the
By following these four steps, you will have
RPGA Web site, ant then have any players without
determined the APL. Throughout this adventure,
a character create on. Once all players have a
APLs categorize the level of challenge the PCs will
LIVING GREYHAWK character, play can begin.
face. APLS are given in even-numbered
Along with the other materials that you are
increments. If the APL of your group falls on an
assumed to have in order to run a D&D game, it is
odd number, ask them before the adventure
also recommended that you have a copy of the
begins whether they would like to play a harder or
LIVING GREYHAWK Gazetteer.
easier adventure. Based on their choice, use
either the higher or the lower adjacent APL.
The author would like to thank his beloved wife
APL also affects the amount of experience
Cassandra who puts up with his crazed hobby,
you may gain at the end of the adventure. If your
and the Geoff Triad for making this a fantastic
character is three character levels or more either
region
higher or lower than the APL this adventure is
being played at, that character will receive only
Living Greyhawk Levels of half of the experience points awarded for the
adventure. This simulates the face that either your
Play character was not as challenged as normal, or
Because players bring their own characters to relied on help by higher-level characters to reach
LIVING GREYHAWK games, this adventure’s the objectives.
challenges are proportioned to the average
character level of the PCs participating in the Note: LIVING GREYHAWK adventures are
adventure. To determine the Average Party Level designed for APL 2 and higher. Three or four, or
(APL): sometimes even five 1st-level characters may find
difficulty with the challenges in a LIVING
1. Determine the character level for each of
GREYHAWK adventure. If your group is APL 1
the PCs participating in the adventure.
there are three things that you can do to help even
2. If PCs bring animals that have been the score.
trained for combat (most likely being war
1. Attempt to create a table of six 1st-level
horses, dogs trained for war), other than
characters, or try to enlist higher-level
those brought by virtue of a class ability
characters to play at that table.
(i.e. animal companions, familiars
paladin’s mounts, etc) use the following 2. Advise characters to buy riding dogs to
chart to determine the number of levels help protect them, and fight for them. All
you add to the sum above. Add each riding dogs are considered trained to
character’s animals separately. A single attack. PCs who want their dogs to attack
PC may only bring four or fewer animals must succeed at a Handle Animal or
of this type, and animals with different Charisma check (DC 10). Failure
CRs are added separately. indicates that the animal will not attack
that round. This is a free action (spoken
command) that may be attempted each
round. If an animal loses half or more hp
CR 1 2 3 4 in a single round it flees, unless another
1/4 & 1/6 0 0 0 1 check is successful.
1/3 & 1/2 0 0 1 1
1 1 1 2 3
2 2 3 4 5
the Road If the PCs are foolish enough to attack the Knights
of the Watch, the Knights attack for subdual
The PCs encounter the Knights in the afternoon of
damage. They take the PCs to Fort Resolve in
their travel to the steading.
chains.
You walk northwest from Hochoch and into the
Watcher Vilina Lea, Ever Alert Wolverine
farmlands that surround the town. The rolling
human female, Pal7: Medium Humanoid ; HD
countryside rises from the Anniben Dwr (on-
7d10+7; hp 53; Init -1; Spd 20; AC 21 (-1 Dex, +3
eh-ben door) and is dotted with small farms.
large shield, +9 full plate); Atk +12 melee (1d10+3
Freshly plowed fields are everywhere and the
[19-20/x2], bastard sword), +11 melee (1d8+2
road to Newbridge twists and winds its way
[20/x3], heavy lance); AL LG; SV Fort +8, Ref +3,
between them.
Will +6; Str 17, Dex 8, Con 12, Int 10, Wis 14, Cha
14.
After several hours, your ears catch the
Skills: Concentration +4, Diplomacy +4, Heal
thunder of hoof beats. In a few seconds pass
+6, Knowledge (Local) +1, Knowledge (religion)
and a two mounted humans catches your eye.
+1, Ride +9, Sense Motive +3, Speak Language
Their tabards bear an argent-colored owl. One
+3.
is dressed in leather armor. The other is in
Feats: Exotic Weapon Proficiency: Sword,
shining full plate. They are both women. bastard, Mounted Combat, Power Attack, Weapon
Focus: Sword, bastard.
In the common tongue, the plate mailed Languages: Common, Elven, Flan, Gnome;
woman cries out towards your party. “Hold Spells Known (Pal --/2): 1st -- Bless, Bless
neighbors! We would speak with you." The Water, Bless Weapon, Create Water, Cure Light
pair rides toward you. Wounds, Detect Poison, Detect Undead, Divine
Favor, Endure Elements, Magic Weapon,
Have the PCs make a Knowledge (nobility) (DC 5) Protection from Evil, Read Magic, Resistance,
or Knowledge (Local: Geoff) (DC 10) to realize Virtue.
that these mounted warriors are Knights of the Spells Prepared (Pal --/2, Base DC 12 + Spell
Watch. If the PCs make knowledge (Local Geoff) Level): 1st - Bless Weapon, Endure Elements.
DC 20, they can identify Watcher Vilina Lea. Equipment: +1 Full Plate, +1 Large Steel
Shield, +1 bastard sword, masterwork heavy
The two knights are out searching for a group of lance, 4 potions of cure light wounds, 2 scrolls of
orcs who have snuck past the border keeps and magic weapon, 2 scrolls of protection from evil. 2
have been causing trouble. They want to ask the javelins of lightning.
PCs if they have seen any signs of the orcs.
Dispatcher Quinlenne Alst, Stalwart Vigil,
When the knights get close, they rein to a stop to human female Rgr4: CR 4; medium sized
talk to the PCs. The PCs notice that both of the humanoid HD 4d10+ 3; hp 25; Int +6; Spd 30 ft;
women are quite beautiful. AC 15 (+2 Dex, +3 studded leather armor) Atk +6
melee (1d8+1, longsword) or melee +5 (1d8+1
"Well met, neighbors," says the knight in plate shortspear) or ranged +5, (1d8 composite
armor. "We are seeking a group of orcs that longbow); SA none; SQ none; AL NG; SV Fort +4,
have managed to slip past the border keeps. Ref +3, Will +2; Str 12, Dex 15, Con 13, Int 12,
Have you seen any signs of orcs?" Wis 14, Cha 12.
Skills: Hide +8, Knowledge (local: Geoff) +3,
The PCs should probably respond in the negative, Knowledge (Nature) +6, Listen +5, Move Silently
because they haven't. If the PCs make up a story,
If the party makes the same DC checks near the It is very difficult to tell the difference between a
chicken coop they notice the same scratches on goblin and the brownie in the darkness. Have the
the lock on the coop. PCs make a Spot check (DC 18) for the PCs to
notice that this is not a goblin.
If the PC’s make a Track check (DC 18) or a
Search check (DC 20), they notice a set of small If the PCs attack Colwyn, he dashes back towards
footprints in the soft ground near the coop. The his home, which is a hollow tree about a mile east
creature is barefoot. Unless the PCs can make a of the steading. Brownies move at only 20 ft so
Knowledge (Fey) or a Knowledge (Monsters) eventually the PCs can catch up with him. If the
check (DC 15), they can't tell the difference PCs seem about to catch him, Colwyn dimension
between footprints left by a goblin or a faerie. doors as far away from them as possible and
Rangers who have goblinoids as their favored hides.
enemy can identify the footprints as those of a
goblin. Colwyn is a twitchy guy and runs at the first sight
of seeing a PC (opposed Spot check against the
Eamonn also shows the PC’s the window on PCs' Hide). The PCs need to have found hiding
Aeronwen’s room to the house. The creature places. There are several about – in the tree, in a
broke the latch on the shutters, when it stole the barrel, behind the wood pile. If the PCs can think
broach from Aeronwen's room. With a successful of it, they can hide behind it (within reason).
Search check (DC 12), the PCs discover that the Hiding places can give a +2 to +8 circumstance
inside edge of the shutters has been scrapped by bonuses to the PCs' hide check at your discretion.
something metal. Rogues can identify this as a If the PCs are clever, give them a bonus.
knife's edge that was used to open the latch.
Conclusion
APL 2: L: 0 gp; C: 10 gp (reward from the ap
Cynyth family); M: 0 gp
"Fades"
Shadow Creatures as Presented in Manual of the Planes
Shadow Creatures dwell on the Plane of shadow, sometimes crossing into other planes where the
between dimensions are weak. Just as parts of the Plane of shadow resemble a strange, distorted
version of the Material Plane, shadow creatures are darker, more elusive, and spookier than their
material counterparts. Grays and blacks are their most common colors, with white and yellow rarely
seen. They are not to be confused with shadows (undead creatures that often dwell on the Plane of
Shadow). Other creatures native to the Plane of Shadow exist that have stronger or weaker connections
to the energies of that place (such as the shadow mastiff) and do not follow this template.
If the special creature already has one or more of these special qualities, use the better value.
Skills: Same as base creature, Plus Move Silently +6.
Feats: Same as the base creature.
Climate/Terrain: Same as the base creature.
Organization: Same as the base creature.
Challenge Rating: Same as the base creature +1
Treasure: Same as the base creature.
Alignment: Same as the base creature, although rarely good.
Advancement: Same as the base creature.
A brownie is a small fey creature. They typically attach themselves to a small community. They will
perform small tasks such as house cleaning or leatherwork in exchange for gifts of food. They are
believed by some to be a distant relative of the halfing or pixie. Brownies speak Sylvan, Elven, Halfing
and Common.
Combat:
Spell like abilites: 1/day- confusion, continual flame, dancing lights, dimension door, protection from evil,
mirror image, and ventriloquism. These abilities are as the spells cast by a 7th level sorcerer (DC 13 +
spell level)
Brownies receive a +2 racial bonus to Spot and Listen Checks. *They also receive a +6 racial bonus to
Hide checks while in forest settings.