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orcus

Fires in the Crypt (Level 1)

People have been going missing in the small town of Fallbrook. Of course, people are quick to point fingers at the imperial forces who have been occupying the city all year as part of their southward push to expand the empire.

Adventure rules and philosophy

By design, the adventures feature the same monsters across multiple encounters. This is to allow the players to learn how these monsters fight and develop effective tactics against them, as well as to highlight how they work differently in different scenarios: when terrain is arranged differently, when they have different allies fighting with them, and so on.

Long rests and random encounters

The party can take a long rest at any time. Choose any location that the party have been in since their last long rest.

There is a risk of a random encounter each time the party begins a long rest. Roll 1d6 for every encounter the party has had since their last long rest. If any die gives a result of 4 or higher, there is no random encounter. Otherwise, there is a random encounter. The Game Master should place the heroes and the enemies according to the fiction, for example what precautions the party has taken, where the enemies might reasonably be coming from, and so on.

Adjusting for different party compositions

Adventures are balanced for a party of four heroes of the adventure level. There are instructions for adjusting encounters by “steps”. A step is one change in either level or number of heroes.

For example, if you have three heroes instead of four, adjust each encounter down by one step. If you have four heroes of level 2 completing a level 1 adventure, adjust each encounter up by one step. If you have three heroes of level 2 completing a level 1 adventure, you do not need to make any adjustment (the steps cancel each other out).

Representing creatures

Each enemy in an encounter is indicated by a chess piece. If you do not have miniatures, you can use a chess set to represent the enemies.

1A. Rumors (400 XP)

The heroes can explore Fallbrook, speaking with people and chasing up clues. These should point them towards the impromptu arena set up outside of town (1B).

Leaky Mug Tavern: Garrent is a brewer by trade, but he runs the tavern since no one else would serve his ales and meads with the same care.

He complains about the ruckus at night - not from his patrons, but from the woods outside of town. Shouts and the sounds of battle can be heard from a gladiatorial arena the imperial soldiers set up on the outskirts of town.

Diplomacy (DC 12): The arena is for soldiers to fight one another, not innocent townspeople. However, some of the soldiers have reported their colleagues going missing after losing a bout in the arena.

The Widow Bessie’s house: A simple thatch cottage with honeysuckles on the walls and rose bushes out the back is being investigated by worried townsfolk. They explain that the Widow Bessie went missing. You can’t miss her - she has a gigantic round head, with a warm smile that stretches from ear to ear.

Perception (DC 12): There are flower stalks in Bessie’s vegetable patch, as if she was preparing a bouquet for some purpose.

The alley behind the tavern: The urchins are whispering about one of their own, Eustace. His head still bears the scars from a wyvern attack that claimed his parents and made him an orphan. He has lived on the streets ever since - until two days ago, when he was seized by a centurion in the dead of night and carried away into the woods.

Streetwise (DC 8): One of the orphans trusts you with an additional detail: the centurion has a prominent scar over one eye.

Imperial barracks: The party is not allowed inside the barracks, but there’s no rule against hanging about outside with the soldiers while they smoke the foul-smelling weed they import in great bales from up north. One, a superstitious type, mentions that after the empire invaded, the townsfolk were barred from performing the annual festival at the temple of Thalander atop the hill overlooking town. One day later, the temple collapsed into the crypts built underneath it.

Religion (DC 12): The worship of Thalander is not forbidden by the empire! This fact prompts one of the imperial soldiers lets slip that the administrators barred the festival not out of sectarianism but because one of the empire’s soothsayers had commandeered the temple for his own purpose.

Gallows: From the gallows in the center of town hangs the recently deceased body of a drunkard who struck an imperial soldier who cheated at cards, killing him instantly.

History (DC 12): While it is illegal for civilians to kill imperial soldiers, the imperial administrators have no such compunctions. The administrators are ruthless at enforcing discipline, and will imprison or even execute those soldiers who are captured doing something wrong.

1B. The Arena (387 XP)

Through the trees, you can see soldiers gathered around a crudely-dug pit in the ground, cheering what sounds like pitched combat between man and beast in the pit.

Naturally, players may assume that the missing people are being forced to fight in the pit, but this is not true. The imperial soldiers amuse themselves by fighting one another and strange beasts that they find. However, since this is not permitted by the military brass, the off-duty soldiers will deliver a beating to anyone who disturbs them to warn them to keep their mouths shut - including the heroes.

Pit: A 10-foot drop, so no risk of damage if you jump or fall in, but if you enter as a result of unwilling movement you may fall prone.

Tree: The centre square of the tree is an impassible tree trunk. The other green squares are the leafy canopy. They give cover from aerial attacks, but otherwise do not affect the battle.

Briars: These patches are difficult terrain.

Note to GM

This will be the first time the players enter combat. Let them know that they can knock a creature out instead of delivering a killing blow. When the soldiers first attack, let the party know that this is what the soldiers are doing.

Note that this is the one encounter where the enemies are attacking to knock out instead of to kill. However, since the empire will punish those who kill its soldiers, the party may choose to knock out all soldiers it fights.

Challenges

Sticky-tongued toad (Level 2 Wrecker): ♞ - chained to a bolt in the bottom of the pit - it cannot leave the pit
Apefolk legionnaire (Level 1 Blocker): ♝♗
Apefolk infantry (Level 2 Mook): ♟︎♟︎

Step down: Remove one apefolk legionnaire (♗), -100 XP. Step up: Add one sticky-tongued toad (♘), +125 XP.

Apefolk Legionnaire

♝: ☐☐☐☐☐ ☐☐☐☐☐ ☐☐☐☐☐ / ☐☐☐☐☐ ☐☐☐☐☐ ☐☐☐☐☐ ☐

♗: ☐☐☐☐☐ ☐☐☐☐☐ ☐☐☐☐☐ / ☐☐☐☐☐ ☐☐☐☐☐ ☐☐☐☐☐ ☐

♘︎: ☐☐☐☐☐ ☐☐☐☐☐ ☐☐☐☐☐ / ☐☐☐☐☐ ☐☐☐☐☐ ☐☐☐☐☐ ☐

Senses: Perception +2; low-light vision; Initiative: +4; Speed 6 AC: 19; Fort: 16, Ref: 13, Will 13

⚔️ Short Sword (standard, at-will) ● Weapon +8 vs. AC; 1d6+5 damage. 🏹 Javelin (standard, at-will) ● Weapon Ranged 10/20; +6 vs. AC; 1d6+5 damage. ⚔️ Cull the Weak (standard, encounter) The legionnaire can make 2 short sword attacks against a staggered opponent. Heart of the Legion When adjacent to at least 2 apefolk allies, the legionnaire receives a +1 bonus to all defenses.

Apefolk Infantry

Senses: Perception +2; low-light vision; Initiative: +3; Speed 7 AC: 17; Fort: 16, Ref: 14, Will 13

⚔️ Longspear (standard, at-will) ● Weapon Reach 2; +5 vs. AC; 5 damage. Heart of the Legion When adjacent to at least 2 apefolk allies, the apefolk infantry receives a +1 bonus to all defenses.

Sticky-Tongue Toad

♞: ☐☐☐☐☐ ☐☐☐☐☐ ☐☐☐☐☐ ☐☐☐☐☐ ☐☐☐ / ☐☐☐☐☐ ☐☐☐☐☐ ☐☐☐☐☐ ☐☐☐☐☐ ☐☐☐ ♘: ☐☐☐☐☐ ☐☐☐☐☐ ☐☐☐☐☐ ☐☐☐☐☐ ☐☐☐ / ☐☐☐☐☐ ☐☐☐☐☐ ☐☐☐☐☐ ☐☐☐☐☐ ☐☐☐

Senses: Perception +6; low-light vision; Initiative: +3; Speed 4, swim 4; see also leap AC: 14; Fort: 16, Ref: 14, Will 12

⚔️ Bite (standard, at-will) +5 vs. AC; 1d8+4 damage, or 1d8+8 against a grappled target. 🏹 Tongue Lash (swift, at-will) Ranged 3; +3 vs. Reflex; the target is grappled (until escape) and pulled adjacent to the giant frog. Leap (move, at-will) The giant frog shifts 4 squares.

Aftermath

The party spot a centurion who was hanging back in the shadows. Go to 1C. The Chase.

The soldiers defeated here know nothing of the disappearance of the townsfolk.

1C. The Chase (400 XP)

A soldier in the distinctive breastplate of a centurion had been watching the battle from under a tree. When it became clear you had carried the day, he slipped away between the trees.

If the party wants to pursue him:

The centurion is still in sight, ducking between the trees. He has about 120 feet of lead on you, and at his cracking pace you’re unlikely to catch up. However, there is a goat path crossing the mountain ridge above you. If you were to climb over the ridge, you could cut him off. Alternatively, you could stay on the road, which is easier going.

Lay out the situation for the players:

The players start on the first circle. The centurion starts on the third circle on the “through the forest” route.
Heroes can trail the centurion through the forest, but he has the lead - they will not catch up to him.
Heroes can take the difficult but short goat path.
Heroes can take the easier river road.
Heroes can split up across two or three routes. Once one or more heroes engage the centurion, they will buy time for others to catch up (this is why some heroes may go through the forest even though they have no chance of catching the centurion on their own).
Heroes can get stuck on a path if they fail a skill check. Others who succeeded on the check can stick around and help, or move on.
If the round ends with the centurion on the End space, and there are no heroes in that space, then the centurion gets away.

Adventure1-Track

Each hero can move one space per round. However, there are obstacles on the goat path and the river road that can stop heroes from moving that round.

Through the forest: Each round, each hero can move forward or back one space.

Goat path: At the start of each round, each hero can move back one space. They can alternatively move forward a space provided that the challenge in the current space has been overcome.

First step: The path rises along a sheer cliff about 20 feet high.

The cliff is a challenge for each hero, which means a hero that has not climbed the cliff cannot move forward a space at the start of the next round.

Each round, each hero can attempt to climb the cliff once. If an ally is at the top of the cliff, or threw down a rope before they moved on, or otherwise made the task easier, the hero gains a +2 bonus on their check. Athletics (DC 8), Acrobatics or Perception (DC 12).

A hero can also aid another instead of climbing the cliff themselves.

Second step: The path is blocked by a belligerent goat.

Each round, each hero can attempt to influence the goat. If any hero succeeds, the goat leaves - no other hero needs to overcome the challenge. Nature (DC 12), Intimidate (DC 18).

A hero can aid another instead of attempting to influence the goat themselves.

A player can also use a power that pushes or shunts the goat. If they hit (AC 11, Fort 12, Ref 14, Will 8), the challenge is overcome.

River road: At the start of each round, each hero can move back one space. They can alternatively move forward a space provided that the challenge in the current space has been overcome.

First step: Two guards stationed on a toll road.

Convince the guards to let you pass. One hero must pass the test. Bluff (DC 12) or Diplomacy (DC 12)

Alternatively, heroes can bribe the guard. 10 gold pieces each, or anything that would help the guards pass the time.

Second step: The road is blocked by a parade.

Each hero must pass the test.

Acrobatics (DC 8), Endure (DC 8; takes two rounds) Intimidate (DC 12; all heroes who make a check afterwards get a +2 bonus), Stealth (DC 12), Streetsmarts (DC 8).

Third step: You need to spot the turnoff by noticing the last standing columns of the temple high on the hill.

One hero must pass the test. Perception (DC 8), Religion (DC 12), Nature (DC 18) or History (DC 12).

Side task: Heal DC 18, instead of the normal success result, you gain one healing potion.

Modifications: Step down: -1 to all DCs, -100 XP. Step up: +1 to all DCs, +100 XP.

Aftermath

Success: If the heroes are in the same space as the centurion, they can fight the apefolk centurion (♛) in the forest instead of at 1D. Temple Entrance. This saves them from having to fight him with his allies, giving them the benefit of an easier battle. See “Aftermath” in 1D for the kind of information he may give up if captured.

Heroes enter from the west (through the forest), north (mountain path) or south (river road). If the centurion was already in the space when the first hero arrived, place the centurion to their advantage. If the centurion enters after the first hero, they come from the east.

tiles-forest

Failure: If the centurion gets away, he alerts the guards at 1D. Temple Entrance and stays to fight with them. However, the players still locate the Temple Entrance eventually.

1D. Temple Entrance (450 XP)

Once a temple of white marble stood here, atop a hill overlooking the town. When the temple collapsed into the crypt below, its grand opening remained above ground. The rest of the ground is broken and sunken. Beyond the broken ground, a staircase descends into the earth.

Blue: Solid marble, ten feet tall.

Green: Difficult terrain.