(re)Claiming Elmtown
Part of the Ancient Blood Campaign > Ancient Blood in Bondeu – in the Riverdan of Bondeu
Author: Kelly Berger 2023 / System: Incarna i20
After the Grimm has been dealt with, the PCs may get a chance to lay claim to a settlement. Elmtown is one of the best, but requires more work than most as it was closest to the Dew Gate and many goblins, hobgoblins, giants, and the walking dead (skeletons of the buried populace) tromped through it and attacked its people.
Recruiting Folk from Athlapoole
“No one has been that far yet!”
“No one has come from the other side – what if its blocked!?”
INSIGHT > DC 10 – Connect with “Derrel of Tadeus” – a Priest of the Green Church that is looking to reclaim the Briarwood of Summer Valley. He and his two acolytes will at least travel there. He might be persuaded to send one on with his party to Elmtown, IF they could establish a Green Church alcove among the trees there. And recruit from Zerburre!
This acolyte is Grant of Nettlemist – in county Faer.
Places Along the Way
“Leaverville”
You pass through the remains of a village you have passed through before. Most of it was covered in fog and mist when the Grimm was in full effect. A sign is now evident, almost completely obscured now. It has had multiple names painted over, and only the words “Leaverville” remain legible – probably a funny reference to everyone leaving as the Grimm took hold.
The village probably held 150 or so people, though the grounds seem large and older ruins cover the landscape. Perhaps it was bigger a long time ago, when the Nanford came through the area.
> Smell of wet mint is prevalent as you approach.
Lights @ Night
You see a campfire flickering briefly, just over a rise in the distance, near a stand of trees. 150′ feet.
They may have spotted you, a few small hot coals can be seen kicked up from a hastily obscured fire.
You see a lamp, hastily shuttered in the stand of trees.
It looks like a flash of light, pointed at the ground, as whoever it is is trying to use the trees to obscure their movement – they appear to be moving away at a run!
You come out of the trees and can easily see the lamp light bobbing.
You take off in pursuit!
> Fall into a dry riverbed; 2d6 damage and DC 16 Constitution save or stunned for 1 round.
——
#char Will-o-wisps attack!
The will-o-wisps normally drive characters over a concealed edge into an area where the Nanford used to run. This can cripple and damage the targets, making them easy targets for the angry restless spirits.
Updated Encounter (shorten): The creatures swarm and sputter their remaining life force on each character, instead of directly attacking them and draining life force.
DC 15 Constitution save or they are afflicted with a lethargy until they gain a full Long Rest. This causes disadvantage on Initiative checks
The Elmtown Bridge
The bridge is covered in a strange fog that seems to purposefully hide it. Body of the dead giant is no longer present.
> NOT magical, though it may appear so.
Elmtown Gap
The “gap” is the floodplain the Nanford used to spill into in the rainy season. Its dry now, will small pools of water collecting in the low spots. Few animals can be seen, only a few birds and rabbits – most of the larger game hunted by the goblins and giants. You pass by the remains of an old mill, that it looks like was used as target practice by giants throwing rocks. Only the remains of a few farmsteads dot the countryside, nothing more than nearly collapsed piles of wood and thatch. A small lake has a few ducks and birds, and the road is washed out in a few places. A strange wind sometimes blows through the area, carrying a warm honey-breeze and the sound of laughter.
= Winds of Memory Encounter?
Elmtown Remains
The road is still clearly marked, but the marker stone and town sign is absent as you travel up the road to Elmtown. Elmtown sits astride the main road, and nearby to original path of the Nanford before it changed course. It sits on a small rise as part of a river floodplain between the Athla Hills to the west and the Whitebark Forest to the east.
You pass a graveyard on its outskirts, its been hastily dug up and looted – the goblins were pretty indiscriminate.
The town once was home to about 500 or more people. The collapsing remains of several larger buildings can be seen. Everything is overgrown. The roads through it are covered in debris – its been ransacked a couple times. A strange smell hangs over it – mildew and decay are everywhere. It almost seems like too big an obstacle to rebuild until you realize that it sits safely amidst the flood plain, but surrounding it is ideal land for crops that might flourish. Stone from the Athla Hills, wood from the forest, and plenty of crops on a major trade route to be rebuilt…
Balloon goblins
1-4 on d6 when they die they fly like a balloon letting out its air. As they go, their entrails shoot out their butts with a wet sound. They make a last attack as a flattened bag. On 5 or 6 they just explode – showering all with 5’ with gore (DC 10 Constitution check or Disease).
Roadblock to Elmtown
Up ahead is an old roadblock. The road has been purposefully degraded, and debris strewn all over it – likely this is a warning to those headed south into the Grimm.
Olive Garden Crossroads
The old Athla Trade road is worn and left disused and ignored. The small village of Olive Garden Crossroads stirs with excitement as the first travelers in generations begin to approach them from the south! The Greenbell Inn is the center point to this place, named for its famous green bell peppers. For the first time in ages, the bell of the greenbell rings. It sounds muted and muffled at first, but eventually draws a crowd to welcome travelers coming from a direction all but forgotten about.
PCs have been through here before when they first came to Bondeu.
Earthquakes
While the party has been in the Grimm, there was a minor tremor.
On the Road…
Talking amongst yourselves, you travel alone on the road. Suddenly, the world pitches and shakes! Mounts rear, livestock bolts, and people seek stable shelter as structures cracks and rocks vibrate and tumble. There is nothing nearby for you, but only 20 seconds into it, it subsides.
DC 15 Wisdom (Animal Handling); a 1 = mount runs/skittish for a day, lost forever generally; fail = take d6 hours to recover.
– It takes minutes before the aftershocks quit.
The PCs may take 1-3 days trying to assist. They must either make checks to avoid the worst, or commit to full days to gain the benefits. As long as they do not do anything else, the goodness of their actions offsets the strain and they will gain a short rest portion of a long rest each night.
1 Recovering lost animals and goods (PER checks)
2 Rescuing
3 Aid and healing
Hooks to Next Adventure
Hired mercenaries to follow, harass, and even attack the party in order to warn them off picking up the issue of logging rights.
A Lightbringer cleric/paladin and servants trying to secure the patronage of the Burren family; The actions of the PCs looking into the bloodline threatens this. The PCs are being monitored by the Lightbringers and they could choose to step in and try and wipe the party out. Evidence of a “radical sect” will be planted – the mainstream clergy will not be implicated.
The collapse of the Dew Gate has left a few creatures from the Feywild stranded – they will associate the PCS with this and may seek them out in either revenge or believing them capable of sending them back if they can force them to.
Re-Visit: The Burning of Elmtown
Once the Burren family realizes the PCs are arrayed against them, they will send a squad to burn the remains of the town, and drive out settlers. They are ordered not to kill anyone. They will wear masks and are mercenaries from out of the Riverdans… their accents will be Dunstrandian though. Nominally they will be there to rob the settlers, and the fires will be “accidental” – but too thorough to be such.