Re: Chapter 02: Ascension of Heroes
"Aw shucks," Mittens answers the compliments with a blush, girly wiggle, and foot-slide, "You're such a flatterers! Thanks! Teach a song? First thing that comes to mind is 'The Ants Go Marching...' Oh. And 'horribly dangerous and face eating size' is correct, Matt."
Lucky face-licks and tiger-glomps Mav. :)
"You have a home now, Maverick," Adam says with a chuckle, "When this is over you can stay with Lucky and me."
After a trip through the Lower City, along a series of tunnels
and shafts bypassing Sham's Depths, and a short
way into the Cogs, the PCs arrive at Tain Foundry. The
trip is an opportunity for you to throw an encounter at
the party-especially if the PCs aren't yet 2nd level (see
the sidebar for suggestions). The temperature rises as the
PCs descend toward Sham's industrial lower reaches.
Directions to the foundry are easy to follow, and they're
readily available in Blackbones.
When the pes arrive at the foundry, read:
Enveloped in the oran8e 810w of molten metal, and the sharp
smell ofburnin8 ore, a main 8ate pierces the soot-covered walls of
Tain Foundry. Several beefy and surly- lookin8 8uards- humans,
dwarves, and a bU8bear- laze around the 8ate. Beyond, workers
toil in the heat and foul air. Most of them are warfor8ed.
The guards are gruff, but they have no reason to trouble
mercenaries seeking an audience with Molric. After a brief
interaction, the guards send the pes to the Slag Pit, the
company watering hole. The place is a dark and roughly
built room with tables and a bar where workers of various
races drink their wages back into ir'Tain pockets. After a
short wait, the pes meet their potential patrons.
When Molric arrives, read:
A burly and sour-lookin8 dwarf, dressed in practical clothes, with
a clean shaved head and chin, enters. Followin8 him is a willowy
hob8oblin with lon8 braided hair and beard, 8arbed in simple
white robes. The dwarflooks around and frowns in puzzlement;
the hob8oblin's even8aze qUickly picks you out of the crowd. He
taps his companion and points his staff in your direction.
The two walk up to the pes' table. Molric gruffly identifies
himself, and Olaakki pleasantly greets the pes.
Roleplaying: Molric, a tough ex-soldier of the Brelish
army, is a bad-tempered bigot who doesn't see war forged
as worthy of respect. (He doesn't have much use for goblins
either.) He's rude, but not enough to deter the pes
from taking the job. His cushy post keeps any thought of
personal action against kruthiks far from his mind.
Olaakki is a capable warrior by mundane standardslower-
city goblins have to be. He's rough around the edges,
much like any other humble priest who works among the
downtrodden. Olaakki's beliefs focus on the Sovereign
Host deities popular among goblins-Arawai, Dol Dorn,
Kol Korran, Olladra, and Onatar-as well as the Traveler.
His only magical talents are a few level 1 and level 2
rituals.
Situation: Kruthiks have begun hunting the nearby
regions of Black bones and Khyber's Gate. Unlike with
prior infestations, survivors of the attacks say that some of
the monsters can fly. Molric has lost a number of workers,
and his supervisors want the problem corrected immediately.
Also, several members of Olaakki 's flock have gone
missing. The two want the hive destroyed, including any
eggs that can be found.
Developments: After hearing word oflosses among
the foundry workers, Olaakki approached Molric and
offered to combine efforts. Molric doesn't like goblins,
but he accepted because Olaakki offered to help pay for
mercenaries. The hobgoblin also had knowledge of the
general area where the kruthiks are originating. The priest
gives the pes a map through the Depths to the location,
indicating that the unused area is filled with crumbling ~
goblin ruins. Neither he nor Molric knows of the tomb that :J
the pes are about to discover. :::c
Pay: The job pays 100 gp, unless for some reason the l:)
pes are expected, by another patron or superior, to help :J
CO without pay. Molric can be influenced to give up to 50 gp
more, but he refuses to provide any advance payment.
Research: The pes might know or learn something
about kruthiks (see Monster Manual, page 171). A De 10
Nature check reminds a PC that kruthik blood smells like
strong vinegar, and that flying kruthiks have not been
reported preViously. A De 15 Arcana check suggests that
the flying kruthik is probably an adaptation caused by the
Syrania manifest zone on which Sharn is situated.
This message was last edited by the player at 20:29, Mon 31 Jan 2011.