Ashfall Uncovered

Overview

SYSTEM: Incarna D20

Ashfall, one of the legendary forges of the Bronzemen, has been uncovered by a massive sinkhole, draining the area. Treasure hunters, adventurers, academics and locals are flocking to the area to get a chance at fame and fortune.

Location: [Setting] Brief information on the main or starting locale.
Premise: The characters are either asked to investigate or hear about it and decide to see for themselves.
Story and Progress: What is expected to happen during the adventure?
> Outcome(s) > What is the end goal? Any potential other results?
Challenges: Mud Mephits/Smoke Mephits/Dark Mantles/Blights/Shadows/Troglodyte/Deep Scion, terrain (mud), physical costs of travel
Rewards: What can the outcomes bring to the characters?

Background

Entire background of events leading up to the point the characters enter the picture.

What the Characters Know: Common knowledge and Uncommon [what checks are required?].

Hidden Knowledge: What is completely unknown to the players (and perhaps to the NPC’s!).

Timeline

When: season

  1. Characters enter the picture…

Introduction

Narrative for the characters to get them into the adventure.

RUMORS…

  1. Shadows
  2. Swallowed whole
  3. Mud Creatures
  4. Slurry is draining completely
  5. Entire area being swallowed – angry god
  6. A silver mine was uncovered

Getting to Ashfall

Ashfall Camp

Everyone just calls it ‘the sinkhole’.

  1. Suppliers (4) – Swamp gear [+1 Survival]
  2. Archeological Expedition from Umbak (13)
  3. Suppliers (5) – Digging and hauling
  4. Scholar (3)
  5. Supplier (5)
  6. Town Watcher (Torrelsons Ford;2)
  7. Adventuring Band ‘The Bigs’ (2 + 2 camp)
  8. Adventuring Band ‘The Smalls’ (4 + 2 camp)

What was witnessed of the Troll Hunters encounters:

Traveling to the Sinkhole: It takes 2 hours safely – a lot of weird currents and moving bodies of water. Mud sometimes dumps into the hollow and a mad rush.

Archeological Expedition from Umbak

They have assembled the only full timeline of events of anyone. They have their own equipment (2 skiffs) and have made daily sojourns around the sinkhole. Members: Nick Carelway (Umbakian noble son/academic – student of Bronzemen history/Arcana/Nature), Fred Stevens, Steve Fredricks (see character description) = 2 archaeologist (business men – ) diggers + a dozen support crew (teamsters – haulers/diggers). They have 1400 silvers budget to try and excavate what they can. Additionally, they have 10 doses of Black Liete.

Insights into the Situation:

  1. Troll Hunters went in striking for Forge #1
  2. Shadows power varies by time of day
  3. The tunnels have highest concentration of shadows
  4. In the evening, as the sun goes down people see and hear strange things.. shaodws move on their own and the breeze carries whispers.

Scouting the Hollow

The PC’s can travel around the area.

  1. Sundown: Memories of the disaster bleed out to 30m from the edge of the sinkhole – nightmares
  2. Structures From Afar: All look roughly the same size and shape.
  3. You can get within 5′ to the edge of the hollow, beyond that the constant water pouring over the edge would suck someone of less than 7’/#250 over the edge.

Encounters in Ashfall

Entering Ashfall: Clamoring down the 40′ sides of the hollow will expose characters to the Veil of Shadows. Sanity DC 10 check as the whispers in the dark cover them, and a cold caress on the back of their neck tells them to let go. If they fail, another DC 10 Strength check is required for they fall D4 x 10 feet (D6/3 damage per 10 feet); the mud at the bottom means they cannot die from the fall – at the most it will reduce them to 1, any damage greater represents sprained ankle or wrist; lost movement or attack and damage penalty of 1.

Shadowed ‘Trolls’: Can only make attacks from the veil of shadows, unless there is an encounter adjustment.

Encounters vary by the amount of shadow in in the hollow. Encounters are almost all accompanied by dreams.

Chance of Encounter and Dream varies by amount of sunlight…

  • Early/Cloudy: +1 per D6
  • Noon/Full Sun: No Adjustment
  • Late Afternoon: +1 per D6
  • Evening/Early Morning: +2 per D6

The Dreams of Ashfall

The spirits inhabiting the place wander the hollow and PC’s will experience their memories as they sift through the ruins. There is 1 collective dream and 6 primary dreams of Ashfall. Once the party has experienced all the dreams, they should be able to piece together the clues that lead them to what happened. There is a chance with each dream that the individual experiencing it has such a vivid experience that they actually recall a portion of the memories of the dreamer.

The Collective Dream of the Disaster: The waves that came and drowned Ashfall.
> Sanity DC 10 or stunned for 3 rounds and 1 cumulative level of Exhaustion.

  1. Dream of warrior coming home
  2. Dream of the moon services at one of the temple
  3. Dream of a child running in the meadows
  4. Dream of song and dance in Ashfall
  5. Dream of the pounding of the forge
  6. Dream of running with the animals and feeling their breathing (elk, swamp cat)

Structures of Ashfall

From Afar: All look roughly the same size and shape.

Up Close: Each one is different, organic and fluid in the construction with no single one the same as any else – though roughly the same size.

Forges

Forge 1

  • Findings:

Forge 2

  • Findings: 1 once of tin in gnarled tree roots

Forge 3

  • Findings: 1 once of tin in gnarled tree roots

Moon Towers

Places where the beer and wine were kept

Tree Paths

Gathering Points

Singing and dancing, wells, cool trench (blood), baking ovens.

  • Haunts: Scenes of everyday life and a chance to experience the dreams of Ashfall.
  • Remains: If the PC’s dig out the areas, there is a chance of disturbing remains and the skeletons seeking revenge; they only attack those directly disturbing the remains.
    • Blight: The curse from the Shadowlands; __ on a D6
    • Skeleton: Walking through or digging (-1 chance if careful) disturbs the remains; __ on a D6
    • Dark Mantle(s): A whooshing sound…; __ on a D6
    • Mephit: [___] Made its home previous to the cataclysm, protectors of the hollow; __ on a D6
  • Findings:
    • Papyrus or tablets:
    • Implements: Cewramic housewares, pottery fragments, copper rods
    • Carvings and statues:
    • ___ on a D6 (only one) of base metal ‘flat rod of bronze’ – 3 oz worth tin)

Center Temple

  • INVESTIGATE DC 15; Stellae with engravings depicting life in Ashfall; __ in D6 chance to reveal a clue to the forging process
  • Haunts: Scenes of everyday life and a chance to experience the dreams of Ashfall.
  • Remains: If the PC’s dig out the areas, there is a chance of disturbing remains and the skeletons seeking revenge; they only attack those directly disturbing the remains.
    • Blight: The curse from the Shadowlands; __ on a D6
    • Skeleton: Walking through or digging (-1 chance if careful) disturbs the remains; __ on a D6
    • Dark Mantle(s): A whooshing sound…; __ on a D6
    • Mephit: [___] Made its home previous to the cataclysm, protectors of the hollow; __ on a D6
  • Findings:
    • Papyrus or tablets:
    • Implements:
    • Carvings and statues:

Houses and Features

Small House

  • INVESTIGATE DC 20; Stellae with engravings depicting life in Ashfall; __ in D6 chance to reveal a clue to the forging process
  • Haunts: Scenes of everyday life and a chance to experience the dreams of Ashfall.
  • Remains: If the PC’s dig out the areas, there is a chance of disturbing remains and the skeletons seeking revenge; they only attack those directly disturbing the remains.
    • Blight: The curse from the Shadowlands; __ on a D6
    • Skeleton: Walking through or digging (-1 chance if careful) disturbs the remains; __ on a D6
    • Dark Mantle(s): A whooshing sound…; __ on a D6
    • Mephit: [___] Made its home previous to the cataclysm, protectors of the hollow; __ on a D6
  • Findings:
    • Papyrus or tablets:
    • Implements:
    • Carvings and statues:

Medium House

  • INVESTIGATE DC 15; Stellae with engravings depicting life in Ashfall; __ in D6 chance to reveal a clue to the forging process
  • Haunts: Scenes of everyday life and a chance to experience the dreams of Ashfall.
  • Remains: If the PC’s dig out the areas, there is a chance of disturbing remains and the skeletons seeking revenge; they only attack those directly disturbing the remains.
    • Blight: The curse from the Shadowlands; __ on a D6
    • Skeleton: Walking through or digging (-1 chance if careful) disturbs the remains; __ on a D6
    • Dark Mantle(s): A whooshing sound…; __ on a D6
    • Mephit: [___] Made its home previous to the cataclysm, protectors of the hollow; __ on a D6
  • Findings:
    • Papyrus or tablets:
    • Implements:
    • Carvings and statues:

Large House

  • INVESTIGATE DC 10; Stellae with engravings depicting life in Ashfall; __ in D6 chance to reveal a clue to the forging process
  • Haunts: Scenes of everyday life and a chance to experience the dreams of Ashfall.
  • Remains: If the PC’s dig out the areas, there is a chance of disturbing remains and the skeletons seeking revenge; they only attack those directly disturbing the remains.
    • Blight: The curse from the Shadowlands; __ on a D6
    • Skeleton: Walking through or digging (-1 chance if careful) disturbs the remains; __ on a D6
    • Dark Mantle(s): A whooshing sound…; __ on a D6
    • Mephit: [___] Made its home previous to the cataclysm, protectors of the hollow; __ on a D6
  • Findings:
    • Papyrus or tablets:
    • Implements:
    • Carvings and statues:

Hadrat House

Honey, bee, and flower keeper

  • Haunts: Scenes of everyday life and a chance to experience the dreams of Ashfall.
  • Remains: If the PC’s dig out the areas, there is a chance of disturbing remains and the skeletons seeking revenge; they only attack those directly disturbing the remains.
    • Blight: The curse from the Shadowlands; __ on a D6
    • Skeleton: Walking through or digging (-1 chance if careful) disturbs the remains; __ on a D6
    • Dark Mantle(s): A whooshing sound…; __ on a D6
    • Mephit: [___] Made its home previous to the cataclysm, protectors of the hollow; __ on a D6
  • Findings:
    • Papyrus or tablets:
    • Implements:
    • Carvings and statues:

Ulsung House

Singing and revelry

  • Haunts: Scenes of everyday life and a chance to experience the dreams of Ashfall.
  • Remains: If the PC’s dig out the areas, there is a chance of disturbing remains and the skeletons seeking revenge; they only attack those directly disturbing the remains.
    • Blight: The curse from the Shadowlands; __ on a D6
    • Skeleton: Walking through or digging (-1 chance if careful) disturbs the remains; __ on a D6
    • Dark Mantle(s): A whooshing sound…; __ on a D6
    • Mephit: [___] Made its home previous to the cataclysm, protectors of the hollow; __ on a D6
  • Findings:
    • Papyrus or tablets:
    • Implements:
    • Carvings and statues:

Nerrel House

Woodsman

  • Haunts: Scenes of everyday life and a chance to experience the dreams of Ashfall.
  • Remains: If the PC’s dig out the areas, there is a chance of disturbing remains and the skeletons seeking revenge; they only attack those directly disturbing the remains.
    • Blight: The curse from the Shadowlands; __ on a D6
    • Skeleton: Walking through or digging (-1 chance if careful) disturbs the remains; __ on a D6
    • Dark Mantle(s): A whooshing sound…; __ on a D6
    • Mephit: [___] Made its home previous to the cataclysm, protectors of the hollow; __ on a D6
  • Findings:
    • Papyrus or tablets:
    • Implements:
    • Carvings and statues:

Tunnels of Ashfall

Rune Stones of Ashfall

These provided a means of allowing certain individuals to slip the veil and enter the Feywild to go ‘wood cutting’. They provided a means of hiding the thin veil from the other side. When they were smashed and broken by the rolling anger of Elancils waves, their magics were altered, and the veil was pierced into the Shadowlands instead.

The Word Goes Out

After 2 weeks of allowing the party the explore and discover what they can, it will attract the attention of several groups. The party can try and bribe or intimidate the folk in the area, specifically at Torrelson’s Ford, to slow down the flow of information to the outside world to buy an extra week.

House Malor’s Interest in Ashfall:

+3 Days

Follow-Up/Events After

The Fake Priest

A Deep Scion, impersonating a priest of Darupet, tries to talk to the party and find out what they know. If they are weak enough, it will try and kill many of them and run off into Calibars Slurry.

War with Apshai

The spirits of Ashfall go to war with the spirits of Apshai.

Forging Weapons

If the PC’s can piece together all the clues, it will be enough for a master smith to forge weakened Bronzealloy weapons and armor. The blood of the Bronzemen is the missing element, and can never be substituted.

  1. Darupet Prayers (1 clue)
  2. Ikribu Hymns (1 clue)
  3. Stellae at Ashfall (3 clues)
  4. Builders Cornerstone (Ashfall; 1 clue)
  5. Braddon Bog Companions Library (old book from Aerna church; 1 clue)
  6. Elven Elclave of Illyndria Frostshine or _____ (rumored to have extensive Bronzemen collection; 1 clue)

Key Characters

Steven Fredricks

Actually a Rogue 4th and Deep Scion spy for Apshai/Gwinn trying to seal/close its enemy.

Motivations: Trying to scare PC’s and other seekers away. Has fooled his entire party. He hides a holy symbol of Balthazaar and pretends to deceive the party, though lets things slip that makes it seem like he is a priest of the order (actually worships Elancil). Has a buried stone box with small shrine to Balthazaar (w/holy symbol; find by searching area around main tent 1 on D12)

> Aversion(s) > What do they hope to avoid or will not do?