Part 1: Afon Ddu
Author: Eric Swanson 2019
One of a series of short side-treks that were run as part of the Ancient Blood campaign 2018-2020 designed and written by Eric Swanson
(aa-von thee – The Heart of Dorkness)
(Timeline reminder from previous adventures: After returning from the Feywild the party was back in Zerburre; they spent the first day recovering, with headaches, mild hallucinations, and general negative effects from travelling to the fey. That night was the blue flickering light that circled the city, out at the horizon. The following week+ was the Crystal Noose story of breaking the cold spell that had entrapped Zerburre. It’s now approximately the first week of November, having returned to Zerburre once again to rest and provision.)
“You’re spending a day in Zerburre provisioning and organizing when a slightly/intentionally cryptic message from your ‘benefactors’ arrives. It’s letter-locked and wax sealed. ” Hand the note to the party. (It reads “Careful study and decryption of some of the ‘relevant materials’ has yielded the location of something very important to our shared tasks. Please proceed to the village of Athlapoole and meet with a halfling named Harper Greenwain; he is a trusted contact and guide, and further information will be delivered to him prior to your arrival. Please use your usual excellent methods, and discretion, to recover this item as it is of the highest urgency.”)
[Pause for players]
Athlapoole lies a couple days’ journey downriver from your current location in Zerburre. (This can be managed without incident and could be done by riverboat if the party wants to look for one.) The land here is generally flat, the wide low country of the lower Vale of Dunstrand. The Nanford River spurs winds slowly through this region, mostly devoid of rapids or impediments, between muddy banks. On the south side of the river a region of low hills – the Athla Hill country or ‘Grimdowns’ – rises; but the north side of the river is flat farming country, mostly deforested but for the occasional small wood or copse.