The Common EnemyNotes: This adventure was created for a group of low-level PCs. They each hold some holdings in Diemed and one is Baron. The adventure can work anywhere with any level characters, and I have left most of the level-determined things up to the DM. Gori is the party wizard and holds Hermedhie's sources. The adventure works best if one PC is a wizard regent with a source in the province that is the center of action. The Adventure: Upon investigating this matter, the PCs manage to step in on a raid. They fight off the bandits and two surrender, two young men with a red and yellow streak on their left hands and arms. Upon closer investigation, this streak is actually the image of a tall, narrow flame that seems to be part of their skin. The men refuse to talk about anything. They demand to speak with their father. When questioned about why they did what they did, they simply say, in a tone of disgust, "They were only Moeres." If the PCs do not decide to send them to jail to await trial, Diem's chief bodyguard or lieutenant will insist. When the PCs arrive in the capital (or back in town), a middle aged man approaches them. He greets them and displays a flame on his left hand and arm identical to the dead boys' ones. The man informs them that he is Aedan Daravil of the Daravil House of Moere. The PCs recognize the family as a new one that has recently established itself in Moere. The traditional Moere family is reputed to be on bad terms with them and vice versa. He wishes to report the disappearance of his two sons. The PCs should then inform them that the boys were caught raiding a Moere trading caravan and have been captured. They should also tell him the date of the trial. The trial begins by swearing in the witnesses and identifying the crime. The Daravil young boys feverantly say they had no choice in the matter, a wizard from the Moere family used spells to make them. About halfway through saying that, they boys start to spasm. They finish their sentence but die seconds later, blood pouring from their mouths. The Moeres shout their innocence and claim that the Daravils would be willing to kill their own just to strike at the Moeres. The Daravils claim they had nothing to do with this, it was a sorcerer from or under the employ of a Moere. Both families gather their members and stalk out, efforts to stop them will only result in bloodshed. The PCs had best return to the capital (if not already there). On their way back, Gori remembers that he needed to check up on his source. Upon arriving at the location, he notices many tracks leading around the source manifestation, and one set leading in. The one that leads in disappears shortly in the underbrush. The other set, however, leads to a nearby cave. The PC(s) see what appears to be a bandit camp and manage to approach very closely, thanks to the thick underbrush above the cave. The men are loading up several floating disks (Tenser's Floating Disk) with goods, most likely stolen. They also see a man that appears to be in charge sitting across a table from another man. Until they get a look at his face, the other man appears to be one of the Daravils they saw earlier. The man in charge casts a spell on the other man (it looks similar to Change Self) and when he turns to face the PCs again, he looks exactly like the Daravil they saw. This should either lead the PCs to the conclusion that an independent power is responsible for the thefts or that the wizard is actually a Moere. A character who succeeds a Hear Noise check overhear the orders of the man in charge. He instructs several men, including the Daravil lookalike, to attack the caravan leaving the town of Moerel. He also instructs the men loading the disks to hurry up, for they will leave in two hours. Finally, he sends out men to inform the men with the wagons to be ready. This presents the PCs with several choices. They could raid the camp while many men are away. They could follow the raiders and save the caravan. Or they could try to interfere with the wagons. Since the PCs are fairly weak (low-level), they should immediately forget the direct attack. Should they go off to protect the caravan, the exact details are up to the specific situation (if the PCs are mounted, etc.). The same should be true of interceding with the wagons. The most likely courses of action are to stop the bandits before they reach their destination, arrive at the location and prepare a defense, or lay an ambush. Award XP form creativity. Whatever their course of action, the PCs will learn that the caravans are bound for Endier. Specifically a Heartland Outfitters warehouse near the Guilder's palace. If the PCs decide to go look after it themselves (as opposed to formally contacting Kalien and informing him), an NPC in the party suggests that the PCs take along bodyguards to protect them in foreign land. Twenty guards will be enough to satisfy him or her. As the PCs and their guards near the Endier border, they are attacked by bandits. There are enough bandits to outnumber the PCs guards, but not so many that it can make up for their inferior fighting ability. Skirmish rules are suggested. Leading these bandits is the wizard from the camp, Tannen Retler (MA; M7; unblooded; LE). If the PCs lose the battle (it should be up to their skills), Tannen and his men take them captive. If they win, Tannen escapes. Follow the appropriate plan: Lost Battle The PCs are tied up and put in a wagon along with all sorts of stolen goods. When they are helped out, the wagon is in a warehouse. The PCs are prodded along to a back room. Inside they meet Guilder Kalien and Tannen. Kalien greets them and informs them of their fate. He explains that the Baron and his advisors were chasing bandits in Tier and were attacked by troops of the Spider. They were dragged off into the Spiderfell. In truth, he explains, they are to be secretly executed. In the resulting chaos, plus the feud in Moere, he will be able to move into Moere and claim that province as his own. The PCs are then tied up and thrown in a cell. It is up to them to escape. Once they get away, they may deal with the banditry problems as they wish, possibly using the knowledge as a weapon against Endier. Won Battle If the PCs win the battle, they manage to capture one of Tannen's advisors. A little interrogation or bribery will get him to talk. He knows that the stolen goods are being sold to Guilder Kalien. The Guilder also plans to use the disruption in Moere to capture the province, claiming that he is "fixing a problem that Baron Diem seemed too incompetent to deal with." After telling that, an NPC attached to the PCs insists that they get back to Moerel in case the invasion is already underway. Upon arriving, they hear that mercenaries hired by Kalien are invading Moere. The troops in Moere are too busy dealing with the feud to stop and fight Kalien's men, and many of them are from the Moere or Daravil families. Once Kalien has solidified his claim on Moere (which is before Diem reinforcement can arrive), Ghoere and Alamie will back up his claim, fearing that he cause trouble in their realms. The PCs only hope of retaining Moere is by exposing the truth to the Moeres and Daravils, using the advisor to Tannen as a witness. If this is done, the military units in Moere are restored and both families contribute their guards (which count as one unit of infantry) to the fight. Ghoere and Alamie will insist that the PCs do not attack the province of Endier. However, the PCs have still gained a hold on Kalien. By Morg |