Exploring the Ruins of Arvban Keep takes place in Arvban Keep – Picket Keep of the Riverdans.
An advanced war party has arrived in the keep ruins. Scouts explored the area a couple times – coming overland and mapping out a route for the Rock Worms from the Hawktail Hills. The second pair was small enough to get into the collapsed pit to the under caverns, killing one as it gave way. River Rangers of Tufflim tracked them and reported the trail and a ranger in Bondeu checked out the places they were likely to go and spotted them. Three bands of 15 goblins each have arrived. The first two were overland, the last recently, by Rock Worm tunnel – all from the Hawktail Hills to the east. The last group -sappers – came with a shaman, a worm tender, and their minions. The shaman summoned a swarm of bats from the surrounding hills as a day watchers and alarm bell. The goblins have been working to clear the under cavern and collect treasure.
Washout: 3 rocks set to trigger with rope
W = Watcher (Spider and nurth rider with whistle for bats. )
2 rhoon @ day – trinkets, money wooden nickels
2 giblin
4 rhoon – trinkets, money wooden nickels; Hide, plank dex 9, con 15; 15hp
Bat swarm
Jr shaman, Warlock 1 (minor pact) invoc =
Necklace of fingers including children!; sun steeler charm=when he dies by combat eldritch blasts lashes out at killer
The goblin shaman had a note of another shaman coming and a calendar marked with an exact date/time for the ritual of interloper defiance! Also had note on when they could expect another group of 15 goblins to arrive – could have been ambushed! There is a note as well “dig in corner, pay hoo-mans, more help”;
Fire pits all covered.
There is digging equipment scattered about and an obvious attempt to dig and break out a deep cornerstone of the keep’s wall.
Dc 15
Corner stone relics from the keep if the pcs can get them – they will find the goblins are trying to excavate it:
Cornerstone Loot: Lady’s lace shawl (40sc), a silver bracket with the Arvban family name (100), a silvered shortsword with a leather sheath with Arvban family crest stitched on it, several stone and wood engravings with eastern Osten Paullus sayings on them (mostly focused on the Rasturi aspect; 50sc), a banner in a wax sealed quiver of the Arvban family crest (50sc), a bird nest with 4 eggs, a wooden army set from the dead brother of the Arvban namesake (30sc), an ancient blessed Holy Symbol of Whelm (still empowered; 50sc), a wreath of the holy symbol of Darupet (preserved – will begin to age once it is removed… but empowered for 2 months). A stone tablet with an engraved ode to Lady Celia Arvban (25sc).
Tarps cover this area, using the remnants of the wall as anchor points. At its edge, half exposed to the light is a camp fire pit that obviously has had recent use. Nothing seems to stir… you estimate at least 6-7 goblins could fit under it.
Day: 4 goblins are sleeping
Night: 4 goblins are on paired patrol
A pair of bedrolls sits next to a small campfire. Next to it is a stack of foraged wood – enough for days.
Day: 4 Rhoon awake
Night: 4 Rhoon asleep
A couple of the passageways have had canvas covers put on them to hide them/camouflage them.
Net trap – a goblin can trigger it to drop from the ceiling
Pit trap w/Animated skeleton of black bear they killed!
Noose trap 3d6 + suffocate
Branch/spike trap 6+2d6
snag trap
falling stone trap
Alarm spell at one point = entrance to under caverns
Spider of Go-zenx 2 @Daylight; @Night they are in #__
https://www.dandwiki.com/wiki/5e_SRD:Giant_Spider – webs covering the entrances to underkeep
2 Nurth scouts w/spider eyes
Goblins – https://dnd5e.wikidot.com/lineage:goblin
Lead by a https://www.5esrd.com/database/creature/goblin-hill-champion/
2 spider riders
Shaman of Gloombringer – https://www.dandwiki.com/wiki/Goblin_Shaman_(5e_Creature)
Orrish calendar with a date marked out for the Rite of the Interloper’s Defiance in about 30 days
https://www.dandwiki.com/wiki/5e_SRD:Swarm_of_Bats x2 – controlled with drum + whistle
> 1 is used as warning alarm in daylight hours
25’ deep hole into the ceiling of a cavern below.
This is trapped, and rubble can push pcs into the pit into the cavers below.
The under caverns were not really even known to the normal inhabitants of the fort. Old family treasure was hidden in it – normally accessed from the stream that ran into the ravine. This was widened, and sealed up again when the treasure was interred. Those who knew where it was were killed in a different battle about a dozen years later. The goblins thought they had found a king’s treasury with what they could see – the cavern has been collapsing slowly over hundreds of years. Its a kings treasury to them, but hardly the bounty they thought.
Encounters:
Carrion crawler (spawn of the rock worms) = entrance to the tunnel shaft into the underlands. Can crawl along the ceiling and surprise.
DC 15 Perception – light is needed!
Pushing through some rubble and dust, you come across a vein of coal in the cavern – certainly a fortunate circumstance as it could be used without having to bring fuel in.
Here is also a vein of metallurgical coal they meant to mine to make high quality steel.
> As a finders free, the PCs can negotiate action (persuade vs. persuade) or just accept the average. The reward can be granted as a Rolling Reward.
Position of strength = advantage
Average: a +1 dmg dagger for each PC
Major: Minimum + 10 arrows/bolts with +1 damage for each PC
Extraordinary: Major + Craft Token = armor repair in Riverdans for each PC
In the caverns was a slab covering
DC 22 Perception = Slot for pry bar.
one of the hoards of the family from the Arvban rebellion (PCs could get a % share of value) – there was some slight blackmailing that could have happened, and a share of the value of the items found. Blackmail from correspondence. Engraved on the underside of the lid covering the shelf “For family, for honor, for Bondeu”
[ normal goods ] 4 religious offering bowls+1 Reputation for finding this as the Orrish would have taken it for the metal!
Rock Worm is in topor, could be killed before it moves off to widen the tunnel?
Worm Keeper + 2 spore minions (spores control the rock worms)
Spore drop about 60 in
Save vs disease dc 12 or 2 malaise regain 1/long rest any exhaustion is doubled… breath stealer spores.
There is rubble piled here.
DC 16 Perception to notice it was filled artificially, not a collapse, and that it must open into the ravine by its position.
Shrieker at entrance to the outside exit of under cavern stream, in the shade.
Use the site location description.
DC 17 Perception check to notice something amiss.
The raiders have been putting their stash in the rocks here. These are the results of weeks of minor, non lethal raids in the countryside.
TRAP: a strip of leather will unwind, exposing spores.
> Save vs disease dc 12 or 2 malaise regain 1/long rest any exhaustion is doubled… breath stealer spores.
a bunch of metal tools, a few farm implements, horse shoes, nails, anything that could easily be grabbed from about 1 -2 days away from the last month. There is leather bags (goblin skin), a few old nets and a a lot of rope, twine and cord and poles for creating travois.
15 are out counting even further away! Three groups of 5 have been killing and scavenging, ready to grab the stash in the ravine and return to the Hawktail Hills army is..
Goblin War Bands (5 x 3 group) +1 off spawn for loot carrying per group of 5
Tactics: totem holy symbol can command the off spawn! 1 in each group = last to fight, command off spawn fight first! Off spawn will charge to distract while 2 goblin groups flank in.
1-4 on d6 come back at night; max 3 days @4am
Powerful stench will give away
They are to meet in the foothills where the road begins and then come up as a group.
D6; 1-5 is this plan = yes
If the washout is used: there is a knock clacking of stones as a password
There is a sign to be set at the courtyard at the top; if it is not there, then enemies have come; Sneak to ruins at night. Scout. Attack in three groups.