Race to Foghaven
Scene One: Knight's Outpost
The heroes' ship docks in one piece at
Castle Eastwatch on the western shore
of Southern Ergoth.
Overview
In this scene, the heroes receive food
and supplies. Lady Plata explains that
getting to the Tomb has become more
difficult since Foghaven Vale fell under
the control of Gellidus the White. She
gives them directions to Foghaven, a
trip which should take about a week.
According to the other Knights, there has
been no sign of the Dark Knights yet.
Getting Started
The Narrator should take a look at the
sidebar on page 26 that provides more
information on Castle Eastwatch. Also
useful is the information in Book One
of Heroes of Steel about the Knights of
Solamnia (pages 26 to 36) and the
circle at Castle Eastwatch (page 92).
First Impressions
Captain Lindak sails the Ehoss into the
small harbor north of Castle Eastwatch,
where a delegation of Solamnic Knights awaits.
Castle Eastwatch is a typical Solamnic
fort. The accomodations are adequate
but spartan, and the daily routine proceeds with military efficiency. If the
Knights here seem particular about the
fine details of protocol, it is mostly
because they have little else to distract
them. Their mission here is to keep
watch over Gellidus in case the White
decides to try to expand his realm even
farther, and to stand ready to aid the
elven cities of Silvamori and Qualimori
should the need arise.
The Story Continues
The Knights greet Lady Plata with reverence and bring the heroes to the
castle, offering them food and showing
them to chambers to rest or freshen up.
If the heroes are not too tired from the
trip, the Knights offer to let them join
in the day's sword practice (see "Actions").
Later that day, the heroes are shown
into a large room whose walls are hung
with tapestries illustrating the history of
the Solamnic Knights. Lady Plata is
waiting there. She knows more about
Foghaven Vale than anyone else at the
castle, and either she or Gilthanas can
answer any questions the heroes might
have about it (refer to the Foghaven Vale
sidebar on page 34). She also lectures
the heroes about the importance of
their mission, and asks Gilthanas if he's
sure he wants to make the trip.
If the heroes ask about the weather
and wildlife they will encounter during
the journey. Lady Plata replies:
"The first hundred or so miles will be on
the western ridge of Southern Ergoth,
which Gellidus has not extended his
full control over. The weather will be
autumnal, but not overly harsh. The
wilderness you will travel through has
all the usual dangers - bears, wolverines,
and wolves hunt the woods, and a small
number of goblins and even hill giants
make their homes there.
"When you reach the Last Gaard
Mountains, you will be in land Gellidus
has claimed as his own. It is very cold
and windy there, and the glacier can be
difficult to navigate. You would do well
to make this part of your trip quickly. It
is only about thirty miles from the start
of Gellidus's realm to Foghaven, but
the conditions make the trip very difficult. If you follow the map I give you,
you should be able to get to the Vale in
a little more than a week.
"Our work in the elven cities to the south prevents us from accompanying
you, but you may provision yourselves
from the castle stores. None of our scouts
have reported seeing any Dark Knights
traveling toward Foghaven, but they are
a cunning lot, so be careful. We pray for
your success, and that you will return
to us soon. May Paladine guide you."
Throughout the conversation. Lady Plata
pays special attention to Gilthanas. She
knows he has been to Foghaven Vale
before and teases him about an elf needing directions to a place he's already been.
She also takes care to mention that
this mission inolves a very real chance
of encountering a dragon. Gellidus,
jealous of his territory, takes a sadistic
delight in preventing travelers from visiting Huma's Tomb, one of the most
common pilgrimages of years past.
Atmosphere
Because of Gellidus's influence, the
weather at Castle Eastwatch is perpetually windy and chilly. The warmest days
feel like late autumn, and the temperature after dark often drops to dangerous levels. Even in the relative comfort
of the castle, frostbite is still a danger.
The Knights here are typical of the
Solamnics: forthright, stolid, trustworthy,
but not particularly warm or friendly. For
further details, see the Castle Eastwatch
sidebar on the next page.
Actions
Many of the actions necessary in this
scene will be based on the heroes' Mental abilities. Those who wish to test
themselves with blunted weapons in
sword practice against one of the
Knights stationed here will find a ready
supply of volunteers, for the Knights
enjoy the opportunity to practice
against a variety of opponents. Riva Silverblade, senior Knight of this outpost,
never tolerates deliberate injuries, however. If this occurs, the Knights stop the
sparring sessions immediately. Narrators should resolve these mock combats
using the rules for nonlethal combat in
Heroes of Steel (attacker gets a -3 action
penalty, no lasting damage).
The heroes may outfit themselves
from the castle stores without need for
a wealth action, as long as the requests
are not too extravagant. The Knights
suggest they take heavy clothing, since
the second half of their journey will be
over a glacier in brutal weather. They
also recommend taking some wooden
or blunted weapons, as swords and
such can break in the terrible cold of
Gellidus's realm.
The Narrator will want to note
exactly what the heroes do (and don't)
take with them. Overlooking important
items such as blankets, kindling, oil, or
other survival gear could result in the
death of one or more heroes.
Characters
Gilthanas: Qualinesti adult male,
capable demeanor, Legend, 4
. Ag 8C,
Dx 6A, En 7C, St 6B, Re 7A (49), Pe 8B, Sp
7D, Pr 6B, Dmg +7 (long sword), Def -3
(chain mail), also missile weapons (long
bow/+6), acute eyesight, sorcery (divination, enchantment, aeromancy), Amulet
of Healing Hands.
Ariena Plata: Human adult female, purposeful demeanor, Legend. Co 11B, Ph 48A,
In 13B (139), Es 13A (169), Dmg +7
(long sword), Def-5 (plate mail), also
mysticism (alteration, healing, spiritualism), sorcery (cryomancy).
Solamnic Knights: Humans of varied age
and demeanor, Adventurers. Co 6, Ph 6,
In 6, Es 6, Dmg +7 (long swords), Def -5 (plate mail).
Outcome
At the end of this scene, the heroes
have all the information, aid, and winter survival gear they need to proceed
to Scene Two and begin their trek to
Foghaven Vale.
Castle Eastwatch
Castle Eastwatch has been an important stronghold of the Solamnic Knights
since the Age of Dreams. Originally, it was a remote outpost, a vantage point
from which the Knights could keep an eye on the aggressive forces at work to the
east, hence its name. As the years went on, though, the site became more important as a station for Knights making pilgrimages to visit Huma's Tomb. As the
port nearest to Foghaven Vale, the outpost grew into a small community which
provided accomodations, maps, and other comforts to travelers. The Knights
there became known as the protectors of Foghaven and the Tomb of Huma.
The Garrison
Today the Knights stationed at Castle Eastwatch serve a role closer to that of the
original garrison. They keep watch over Gellidus the White, dragon overlord of
the island, opposing him when they can and protecting the remaining free cities
along the western coast. Having Huma's Tomb under the absolute control of an
Evil dragon is a slap in the face to every Solamnic Knight in Ansalon, but even
moreso to these Knights whose traditional duty has always been to guard that
hallowed site.
Because of the important role the Knights of Castle Eastwatch play in the stability of the area, the garrison has continued to grow. There are thirty Knights
permanently assigned to this post, led by Riva Silverblade (human elder female,
impulsive demeanor, Champion). Squires, grooms, and support personnel bring
the total population of me settlement to approximately seventy.
The Knights patrol the forests and plains of the western reaches of the island.
Patrols are periodically sent to the elven realms of Silvamori and Qualimori to
consult with the Solamnic circles there on happenings in the southern parts of
Gellidus's realm.
Scene Two: Well Begun
The heroes see signs of the Dark
Knights and run across their traps (as
well as anything else the Narrator
wishes to throw in).
Overview
This scene covers the week spent traveling through the woods east of Castle
Eastwatch. The heroes find evidence
that the Dark Knights are somewhere
ahead of them; there are burned out
campfires and one or two traps set to
deter followers. This is an ideal spot for
the Narrator to include any specific
wilderness scene of his own he wishes
the group to play.
Getting Started
If he wants the heroes to encounter
any local monsters or other fauna, the
Narrator should review Chapter Six in
the Book of the Fifth Age from the
FIFTH AGE boxed set.
First Impressions
The Southern Ergothian countryside is
rugged and beautiful. Frozen in a perpetual season of late autumn, the hills
are covered with firs and skeletal husks
of trees that may never bloom again.
The wind blows strong and cold, but
the woods supply enough protection to
ward off some of its bite.
The Story Continues
During most of the time covered by
this scene, the heroes will be riding
horses through the wilderness. The
woods will be too thick for the group
to see very far ahead. The weather will
be cool, but comfortable enough for
heroes wearing the furs the Solamnics
provided.
The group sets out to cross the
wilderness of the western part of the island. To the east rise the Last Gaard
Mountains that mark the boundary of
Gellidus's influence. Although the
White technically controls the entire
island, he usually leaves the western
regions alone. The journey should take
about one week.
These woods harbor a number of
denizens that could cause the heroes
difficulty. Not the least of these are the
animals native to Southern Ergoth. The
food chain in the western reaches of
the island has been thrown into chaos
by the perpetual cold weather. Many of
the larger carnivores have difficulty
finding enough meat and have become
much more bold about attacking
humans, elves and other intelligent
races.
Likewise, the arrival of Gellidus has
shattered the way of life for some of the
intelligent races that live in and around
the woods. Goblins have become
nomadic tribes wandering the woods
and eking out whatever living they can
manage. To them, the heroes - loaded
down with food and supplies - represent
a bountiful catch. There are even one
or two hill giants who have found that
their homeland has become too brutal
and unforgiving a place to live. They
occasionally wander down into the
woods to look for food.
Regardless of whether they meet up
with any of the local wildlife, on the
third day out, the heroes come across a
clearing that was obviously used as a
campsite only a few days previously.
There are the remnants of a fire, some
discarded refuse, and a fir grove with
broken branches and trampled down
grass. About one day's ride later, they
find a similar camp. The tracks around
the site indicate that the Dark Knights
are but a day's ride ahead! Unfortunately, traps await them in each of
these camps (see "Actions").
As the heroes are making camp
about a day's ride from the Last Gaard
range, they spy smoke at the base of the
mountains. At this sign of the Dark
Knights' campfire so close, they may be
tempted to ride through the night in order to catch them. This is not a good
idea, and Gilthanas says so. He points
out that even if they do reach the
Knights' camp and find them there, the
heroes will be in no shape to fight rested
warriors. Besides, traveling through the
ice-covered mountains ahead will slow
the Knights down even more, and
chances are that they do not have an
accurate map to Foghaven as the heroes
do. In his opinion, the best thing the
heroes can do is camp for the night and
ride harder and longer tomorrow.
Atmosphere
The chase is on! Once the heroes discover the Dark Knights' trail, the mood
should become more urgent. They
must reach Foghaven Vale before the
Knights do. Now that this goal seems
attainable, the heroes should push
themselves harder, scour the horizon
for signs of their quarry, and become
more and more anxious about being
just an hour or two too slow.
Actions
The Dark Knights know the heroes are
chasing them; one of their number is a
sorcerer schooled in divination. They
travel as quickly as they can, but their
armor (which they refuse to discard)
severely limits their speed.
In order to slow the heroes down,
they left their campsites in plain view
and set traps in each one. While these
traps are potentially deadly, the
Knights merely want to slow the heroes
down enough to keep them from interfering in the mission. The Narrator is
free to make these traps of whatever
simple design he chooses; two
examples are provided below. Each
hero should attempt a challenging Perception action upon entering a camp. If
he succeeds, he spots the traps; if not,
he may trip them.
- Trip wire: Simple trip wires are
attached to trees, which have been
prepared to fall at the slightest disturbance. Whoever triggers this trap
must make a successful challenging
Agility action to avoid being crushed
by the tree for 10 damage points.
- Pit trap: A small hole has been dug
and covered over with a thin layer of
leaves and dirt. Whoever is first to
walk over this pit will fall in it unless
he makes a successful daunting
Agility action. Falling in causes 5
damage points, and the hero must be
dropped a rope or otherwise helped
out of the pit. (Note: The Narrator
may make this pit more deadly by
adding wooden spikes set at the bottom of the pit, causing 15 damage
points to whoever falls on them.)
If the heroes decide to travel by
night in pursuit of the Knights of
Takhisis, the Narrator should make it
very difficult for them. They are unfamiliar with the territory, the night is so
overcast they can't even see the mountains in front of them, it is beginning
to snow lightly, and they are tired from
a hard day on the trail. Their scout
must succeed at a challenging Perception action in order to keep them head-
ing in the direction they intend; none
of them have a clue if and when they
begin to go the wrong way.
Characters
Gilthanas: Qualinesti adult male,
capable demeanor, Legend, 4
. Ag 8C,
Dx 6A, En 7C, St 6B, Re 7A (49), Pe 8B, Sp
7D, Pr 6B, Dmg +7 (long sword), Def -3
(chain mail), also missile weapons (long
bow/+6), acute eyesight, sorcery (divination, enchantment, aeromancy), Amulet
of Healing Hands.
Outcome
Unless the heroes have run into
extreme difficulties and find themselves forced to return to Castle Eastwatch, the adventure continues with
Scene Three, where they make their
way into the frigid heart of Gellidus's
realm.
Scene Two: Across the Frozen Wastes
Crossing the mountains, the heroes see
more signs of the Dark Knights and
eventually seem to overtake them.
Overview
The Last Gaard Mountains mark the
beginning of the territory that Gellidus
claims as his own. Moving through the
snow is difficult, but the heroes seem
to gain on the Dark Knights. Just as
they are nearing their goal, the
Knights' trail leads off in the wrong
direction. The heroes should be able to
beat them to Foghaven Vale.
Getting Started
The Narrator should preview the sidebars in Act Three that provide information on Foghaven Vale and Dragon
Mountain.
First Impressions
The difference between the western
shore of Southern Ergoth and the main
region east of the Last Gaard Mountains is as broad as night and day. Literally, the best daytime conditions in the
frozen mountains are more life-threatening than are the worst nighttime conditions in the west. Without the full
winter survival gear you got from
Castle Eastwatch, you know that many
of you likely would die of hypothermia.
The Story Continues
The ground is covered with ice and
snow, often a foot or more of loose
powder. The heroes can clearly see the
Dark Knights' footprints leading up
the mountain trail, so tracking them is
no longer a problem. Occasionally, the
weather obliterates the tracks for a distance, but since there is nowhere else for the Knights to go other than along
the path or off the mountain, the
heroes can feel reasonably certain they
have not lost their quarry.
At the highest points on the path,
the wind is so strong and cold that
joints on metal armor may freeze,
frostbite is possible for any flesh
exposed to the wind for even a few
minutes, and the heroes' eyes may burn
to the point that they cannot continue.
(Anyone with metal armor has to wear
furs both below and on top of the suit
in order to avoid painful freezing.) At
the lowest points, the fog becomes so
thick that the heroes may have to slow
their progress to mere yards per hour
until they clear the fog bank.
It should take about three days of
travel through the mountains to arrive
at the point on the map where
Foghaven is supposed to be. Gilthanas
says that much has changed since he
was here last, but the way seems familiar nonetheless. He is confident that the
party will be able to find Foghaven
without any great difficulty.
On the final day of the journey, the
heroes pass a campsite occupied only
by a half-dozen thanoi corpses. Soon
after, they actually see the Dark Knights
ahead of them, struggling along the
snowy trail toward a foggy valley. As
the heroes descend into one of the
thickest fogs they've been in yet, the
white seems to blot out the entire
world. Their voices and footsteps echo
back at them loudly, and occasionally
they catch the sounds of others talking - the Dark Knights up ahead. However, their words are indistinct and fade
as soon as they're noticed.
Through this thick cloud of white,
the heroes may catch sight of the Stairs
of Foghaven, the entry to the Vale
marked on the map. The most discerning among them might even detect
something to make their hearts soarthe Dark Knight group seems to have
passed beyond the stairs and is continuing up the path out of the valley. The
heroes can beat them to Huma's Tomb after all!
Atmosphere
The race to Foghaven Vale is in its final
stage. The heroes' excitement at being
so close to their goal should be tinged
with the fear that the Knights will get
to the Tomb first. The heroes are still
chasing the Knights but have them literally within sight. The tension in this
scene should be almost crushing. The
cold is numbing the heroes' limbs, but
adrenaline keeps them going.
The heroes' desperation and fear as
the Dark Knights get closer and closer
to their goal should only be outdone by
the relief and joy they feel when they
find the Stairs of Foghaven and see the
Knights heading off the wrong way.
Actions
The Narrator might wish to have the
heroes succeed at challenging
Endurance actions to keep from succumbing to the cold. This is probably
appropriate only along the highest
points of the path, when the heroes are
exposed to the direct blast of the wind.
In other areas, the heroes will prevent
the cold from affecting them if they
succeed at an average Endurance action.
Failing at either of these actions means
that all subsequent actions become one
degree more difficult than normal for a
hero (a cumulative penalty).
When the heroes reach the bottom
of the fog-filled valley, they should all
make Perception actions. Anyone who
generates a challenging result or better
notices that the ledge of the path is no
longer rocky and irregular. It is now
carved and polished into a flat, smooth
surface which is slick with condensation from the fog. They have found the
Stairs of Foghaven!
Anyone who generated a daunting
result or better on the previous Perception action also sees that the Dark
Knights, at extreme visual range, have
failed to notice the stairs and are continuing their quest in error.
Characters
Gilthanas: Qualinesti adult male,
capable demeanor, Legend, 4
. Ag 8C,
Dx 6A, En 7C, St 6B, Re 7A (49), Pe 8B, Sp
7D, Pr 6B, Dmg +7 (long sword), Def -3
(chain mail), also missile weapons (long
bow/+6), acute eyesight, sorcery (divination, enchantment, aeromancy), Amulet
of Healing Hands.
Outcome
Should the heroes begin to ascend the
Stairs of Foghaven, the adventure continues with Scene One of Act Three.
If, however, the heroes fail to notice
the stairs - or choose to follow the
Knights instead - they are going the
wrong way. After about twenty minutes
of appearing to gain on the figures in
black armor, the heroes see the Knights
simply disappear along with all hints of
their passing. No matter how hard they
press, they can find no sign of their
quarry. This is because the Knights
they were following were illusionary,
created by a Thorn Knight spectramancer who also disguised all sign of
the Knights' progress toward the stairs.
(Although it may appear that these
Knights killed the thanoi guards of the
Vale, they actually met their end at the
claws of the gold dragon Sunrise.)
Heroes who turn around quickly
can still interrupt the desecration of
the Tomb and find the dragonlance
before it is too late by going back to the
stairs and entering Foghaven using the
background offered in Scene One of
Act Three. The action begins for them
in Act Three, Scene Two.
If they do not turn around within a
few hours, however, the Knights will
have found the artifact they seek and
left the valley unhindered. The heroes
can still visit Foghaven Vale (described
in Act Three, Scene One) and Huma's
Tomb (Scene Two), but they have no
encounters of significance there. The
artifact they were sent to find and keep
safe - Huma's own dragonlance - will
already have fallen into the hands of
the enemy. The adventure moves on to
Act Three, Scene Three.