Act One: A Busy Neighborhood
Scene One: Questions Answered
Heroes who defeated the Dark Knights
in combat (or established a truce with
them) have twenty grateful townsfolk
on their hands - and maybe a few
badly wounded Knights, as well.
Overview
If the heroes manage to free the villagers without a fight, they can potentially trade information with
Knight-Warrior Nielow before her
patrol starts the trek back to Qualinesti.
Getting Started
The scene takes place at the Dark
Knights' campsite on the bluff. If the
heroes have chosen to negotiate with
the Knights, the villagers will play a
secondary role. However, the townsfolk
become the scene's focus if the heroes
have defeated these agents of Beryl.
Chapter Three of Dusk or Dawn and
the first two chapters of Night and Day
describe Dark Knights' general modes
of behavior.
First Impressions
The Knights seem to have set up a
hasty encampment at the base of a
stony cliff. Bedrolls and packs lay in
precise rows in the grass.
A score ot villagers sit with their
backs to the cliff, bound hand and foot.
Ropes lash each villager to the next person in line. There seem to be about a
dozen women and children among the
prisoners - unharmed, though with
tear-stained faces. Three men sitting
with the other captives look wounded.
A freshly dug grave waits under a
lone tree opposite the cliff. Three additional men hobble about with ropes
tied around their ankles. Until you arrived, they were busy filling the grave
with their hands while a number of
Knights looked on.
The Story Continues
Assuming the heroes defeated the
Knights, the villagers rejoice and beg to
be untied. The emotional townsfolk
explain that they were just minding
their own business when the Knights of
Takhisis walked out of the woods and
started throwing their weight around.
(The "woods" in question was Wayreth
Forest, temporarily bordering on this
area.) In reality, however, one Knight
came looking for information and a
fight ensued, which brought the other
Knights running. If any Knights remain
alive, the villagers very much want to
dispatch them.
Knight-Warrior Nielow, if questioned, explains that her patrol had
recently been chasing some rebels
through the forest near the Ahlanlas
River. The Knights lost sight of the
elves and, when they tried to backtrack
and pick up their trail, they found
themselves here.
Defeated or not, the Knights refuse
to accept any recrimination for their
actions. They maintain (truthfully) that
they got lost. The last they knew, they
were in Qualinesti. All they want to do
now is report back to their commander.
They insist that they did nothing to provoke the villagers into making their
cowardly attack on one of their patrol.
Should the heroes approach the
Knights hoping to negotiate or talk
with them, Nielow orders the villagers
to keep working. Once the three men
have filled the grave, two Knights take
them to search for stones to pile over it.
The Knights don't allow any of the captives to utter a sound.
As a favor to the heroes, the knight-warrior offers the villagers' lives in
return for directions back to the Qualinesti border and maybe a few provisions for the trip. She also wants the
heroes' word that the Knight's grave
will remain undisturbed.
If the heroes give the Knights what
they want, they finish burying their
comrade, then break camp and march
off toward Qualinesti. Otherwise, the
knight-warrior fully intends to hold a
trial to determine exactly who killed
her comrade and execute the offender
or offenders on the spot.
The villagers remain silent unless
the Knights leave or are defeated in
battle. When questioned, they stick to
their story: They were minding their
own business when the Knights overran the village. They refuse to accept
blame for waylaying the lone Knight.
Atmosphere
The Knights remain cool and proud,
no matter what the party does, eyeing
any elf heroes with suspicion. As long
as the Knights control the camp, the
villagers huddle in cowed silence. If the
heroes want to question the villagers in
her presence, Knight-Warrior Nielow
advises them not to waste their time
talking to cowards and liars.
The Knights believe they are the
injured party in this scene, so play up
their sense of wounded honor -
especially if the heroes seem to favor
the villagers. The dark paladins speak
movingly of young Cullum Redmon,
their fallen comrade, who lived for
naught but honor and duty. They
remind the heroes that no Knight
would attack anyone from behind, as
the villagers did to poor Sir Cullum.
Once freed, the villages cannot contain their joy. They were absolutely sure
they faced death - or worse - at the
Dark Knights' hands. If pressed, they
admit they attacked first but insist that
the Knights surely would have attacked
their village anyway.
Actions
Knight-Warrior Nielow feels wary of
any elf heroes, forcing the party leader
to attempt an easy Presence (Spirit)
action to convince her they are not
part of the elven resistance. If the
action fails, Nielow insists that all elf
heroes and characters lay down their
weapons. In the event of a mishap, she
orders an attack.
An average Reason (Presence) action
exposes the villagers' evasions of the
truth regarding the Dark Knights'
attack, as described in the introduction.
Characters
This scene involves the following characters:
Knight Warrior Keici Nielow: Human
female adult, somber demeanor, Champion,
Co 7, Ph 9, In 6, Es 6, Dmg +10 (two-handed sword of distinction), Def -11
(horse shield of distinction, plate armor),
also missile weapons (great bow/+8).
Lily Knights: Human adults, various
demeanors, Adventurers, Co 7, Ph 8, In 5,
Es 6, Dmg +8 (two-handed sword),
Def-9 (horse shield, plate armor), also
missile weapons (great bow/+8).
Thorn Knight: Qualinesti male young
adult, observant demeanor, Adventurer,
Co 6, Ph 6, In 8 (64), Es 8, Dmg +6
(broad sword), Def -7 (chain mail, horse
shield), also sorcery (pyromancy, divination, enchantment).
Villagers: Humans of varied age and
demeanor, Unknowns, Co 5, Ph 5, In 5,
Es 5, Dmg +0 (unarmed), Def 0 (common clothing).
Outcome
From this scene, the adventure continues with Scene Seven.
Scene Two: Interrogated
The heroes lost a battle with the
Knights of Takhisis. The dark paladins
seem very interested in learning about
the area and the whereabouts of any elf
rebels, but otherwise they treat the
heroes generously.
Overview
In this scene, the Knights question the
heroes and the townsfolk. If the heroes
can convince the Knights they're not
from around here, the Knights let them
go. However, an uncooperative group
will have to think of a way to escape or
just sit tight and hope for rescue.
Getting Started
Assume the Dark Knights successfully
rendered first aid (see Book of the Fifth
Age, Chapter Four) to any needy hero.
First Impressions
It's no wonder the Knights of Takhisis
once conquered practically all ot Ansalon in less than a month. The Dark
Knights know how to fight, and you've
got the cuts and bruises to prove it.
You and your defeated comrades
have been hound hand and foot, then
tied to each other, just like the captured
villagers you tried to rescue. You lie
with your backs against a stony bluff.
All your wounds have been neatly
bandaged with strips of clean linen.
You note that the wounded villagers
haven't received similar attention.
You're just noticing how your bonds
are beginning to cut into your flesh
(you've been tied quite securely) when
tlie officer approaches you. She is a
nice-looking woman, hut her face is
hard, without a trace of kindness. "You
fought well," she says, "but not well
enough to win."
Behind the woman, you see a few
hobbled villagers piling rocks over the fresh grave you noted earlier. The
woman indicates the toiling prisoners
with a toss of her head. "You're not
malicious peasants like them," she says.
"No doubt you tell you were doing
right. Still, you have been defeated in a
fair fight, and 1 now demand your aid.
My men and I seem to have been transported here by some great magic. We
must return to our superiors in Qualinesti immediately. Tell me where we
are and how to get back."
The Story Continues
The Knights strip the heroes of their
armor, shields, and weapons, piling the
confiscated equipment in a big heap in
the center of the camp. Knight-Warrior
Nielow promises to let them go if they
answer her questions. Not only does
she want to know where she is, she
demands the heroes' assurance that her
comrade's grave will remain undisturbed after the Knights leave.
She interrogates all elf heroes closely,
in case they turn out to be rebels or rebel
sympathizers. She refuses to release anyone she thinks is a member of the Legion
of Steel (see "Actions"), due to the hatred
between the Knights and the Legion.
Nielow has no further interest in the
villagers (they refuse to tell her anything) and will let them go as well after
the heroes cooperate. If the heroes don't
like the knight-warrior's terms, they'll
have to find a way to escape. They
might be able to work their bonds
loose, but they'll still have to fight their
way out of the camp. Clever heroes
might volunteer to help cover the grave
with rocks - which puts improvised
weapons in their hands, though they
would still have their ankles tied.
Atmosphere
Knight-Warrior Nielow is confident
and uncompromising, but not cruel.
She clearly dislikes the villagers, and
her troops drive the workers mercilessly. The terrified villagers cringe at
the Knights' every move.
Actions
Nielow studies each captured hero very
carefully, noting aloud how each one
performed during the battle. At this
time, every hero must attempt an average Presence (Spirit) action. Failing
makes Nielow conclude the hero is a
Legionnaire; she will not release him,
even if the heroes answer all her questions honestly. Should the hero suffer a
mishap, Nielow knocks him out with a
blow from a mailed fist. If the hero
really is a Legionnaire, no card he plays
for this action is trump.
Working the rope bindings loose
requires a challenging Dexterity action.
Successful heroes attract one Knight's
immediate notice. The dark paladin
gets a free counterattack unless the
hero makes an average Presence (Perception) action to intimidate him.
Convincing the knight-warrior to
let a hero help the villagers complete
the grave requires an average Presence
or Reason (Presence) action. If the
action succeeds, she lets the hero stand
up and Knights untie his hands but
loop a strong rope around his ankles.
The hero can't loosen the rope without
being noticed, but he can move
around. No attempt a hobbled hero
makes to change range is trump.
A hero who has gotten free can
lunge for the pile of weapons by successfully opening the encounter range.
The Battle
The heroes begin the scene within
melee range of the Dark Knights but
are quickly tied up. The Knights make
subduing attacks against any hero they
catch trying to wiggle loose from their
bonds. (Rules for nonlethal attacks
appear in Chapter Three of Night and
Day from Heroes of Steel.) However, if
attacked with an improvised or concealed weapon, the Knights counterattack to kill.
The heroes might easily pick up
rocks during this scene, either to use in
melee combat or to throw at near missile range. Narrators should treat a rock as a very light, light, or medium class
weapon, depending on its size, with a
damage rating of +1, +2 or +3.
Characters
The following characters appear in this scene:
Knight Warrior Keici Nielow: Human
female adult, somber demeanor, Champion,
Co 7, Ph 9, In 6, Es 6, Dmg +10 (two-handed sword of distinction), Def -11
(horse shield of distinction, plate armor),
also missile weapons (great bow/+8).
Lily Knights: Human adults, various
demeanors, Adventurers, Co 7, Ph 8, In 5,
Es 6, Dmg +8 (two-handed sword),
Def-9 (horse shield, plate armor), also
missile weapons (great bow/+8).
Thorn Knight: Qualinesti male young
adult, observant demeanor, Adventurer,
Co 6, Ph 6, In 8 (64), Es 8, Dmg +6
(broad sword), Def -7 (chain mail, horse
shield), also sorcery (pyromancy, divination, enchantment).
Villagers: Humans of varied age and
demeanor, Unknowns, Co 5, Ph 5, In 5,
Es 5, Dmg +0 (unarmed), Def 0 (common clothing).
Outcome
From here, the heroes can choose from several possible paths.
- If they manage to escape but leave
the villagers behind, the Narrator
can turn to Scene Three.
- Should the heroes talk the Knights
into freeing them, the story continues with Scene Seven.
- Escaping with the villagers also sends
the heroes to Scene Seven.
- Finally, if the heroes can't talk their
way out of this jam and seem to
need help escaping - or if their
escape attempt seems to be failing - the Narrator may move to Scene Five.
Scene Three: Deputized
If the heroes avoided the opening encounter with the Knights or left the captured townsfolk in the dark paladins'
hands, they soon meet a Legionnaire
named Anson Quickneedle and his apprentice, Barr. The pair stops the heroes
and tries to recruit them to help flush
out "some marauding Dark Knights."
Overview
Not long ago, Anson and Barr spied the
Dark Knights in their camp - they keep
an eye on this area for the Legion. They
were heading for the nearest large town
to build up their numbers when they
met the heroes. With help from Anson
and Barr, the heroes should have little
trouble defeating the Dark Knights.
Getting Started
Narrators can glance at the rules for
cover in Chapter Three of Night and
Day (from Heroes of Steel) in addition to
the background on the Legion of Steel
presented in Chapter Two of that book
and in Chapter Three of Dusk or Dawn.
First Impressions
The scene takes place in a rugged area
with plenty of cover - perhaps a stand
of trees, tall grass, or heavy brush.
Using their superior knowledge of the
local terrain, Anson and Barr catch the
heroes unawares.
You're making good time down the
trail away from the village when a clear,
bright voice makes you jump right out
of your skins. You've been ambushed!
A tall, handsome man clad in a green
tunic seems to have materialized out of
thin air. Actually, it appears he rose up
from a hollow in the ground. "Howdy!"
he says with a grin wider than the New
Sea. "You folks really ought to get yourselves under some cover unless you're out here going dragon hunting. There's
a green one just over yonder..." He
craned his neck, searching the sky. "Aw,
shucks, musta hid behind a cloud. Anyway, I'm what passes for the law 'round
these parts, and I'd be much obliged if
you could help me and my deputy out
with a little something." A youngish
man in identical green now stands
behind some brush a few paces behind
the speaker. He holds an empty crossbow in each hand.
"I'm Anson Quickneedle of the
Legion of Steel, and this here's my associate, Barr."
The Story Continues
Anson really did see a green dragon flying in the area. It was working with the
Dark Knights and got transported here
along with them. For the moment, the
dragon isn't anywhere in sight.
If the heroes don't want to join
Anson in his attack on the Dark
Knights, the Legionnaire suggests that
the heroes stick with him.
"What's the matter?" he asks. "Would
you rather fight a green dragon than
just a few Dark Knights? Me and Barr
tracked 'em to just up yoncler.You
probably passed 'em right by. Right by!"
However, if Anson just can't persuade
the group to join him, he and Barr take
their leave, slipping quietly away and
disappearing from sight as quickly as
they came.
Atmosphere
Anson speaks with a slow drawl, while
Barr smiles but says nothing at all.
Anson doesn't like to take no for an
answer, and even pokes fun at the
heroes if they refuse to join him.
Actions
Anson and his apprentice appear
before the heroes at melee range. If the
party decides to attack, the Legionnaires immediately try to open the
range, then quit the field - they're not
interested in killing or capturing the
heroes.
Because of the rugged terrain, they
have escaped when they reach near
missile range. Any attempt from the
heroes to oppose this maneuver cannot
be trump, as the Legionnaires know
the terrain very well.
Characters
The Legionnaire Anson Quickneedle
and his apprentice, Barr, carry similar
equipment.
Anson Quickneedle: Human adult male,
valiant demeanor, Champion, Ag 6C,
Dx 6A, St 7A, En 7C, Re 8C, Pe 6A, Sp 6C,
Pr 6B, Dmg +8 (two-handed sword),
Def -6 (chain mail, target shield).
Barr: Human male youth, charismatic
demeanor, Novice, Ag 5C, Dx 5A, St 6A,
En 6C, Re 7C, Pe 5A, Sp 5C, Pr 5B,
Dmg +8 (two-handed sword), Def -6
(chain mail, target shield).
Outcome
If the heroes agree to help Anson attack
the Dark Knights, the Narrator should
use the background from the introduction to fight the battle. The leader of
the heroes plays cards on Anson's
behalf. Leaders of less than Champion
reputation get to draw a Champion's
Hand of Fate (five cards) for this battle
only - the extra cards reflect Anson's
superior experience. Any card played
on Anson's behalf is trump if it involves
physical combat with a Dark Knight.
The party scout plays cards for Barr,
using his normal Hand of Fate.
- After the Knights' defeat, the story
moves to Scene Seven. Anson takes
surviving Knights into custody and
wonders aloud what their superiors
will think of their failure (he's trying
to recruit them for the Legion).
- If the Knights capture the group, the
adventure moves on to Scene Four.
- The Narrator goes to Scene Six if Anson
and Barr fall in a fight with the heroes
or if the heroes force them to flee.
Scene Four: Barr's Inspiration
The heroes have failed to defeat the
Dark Knights, even with help from
Anson and Barr. However, the senior
Legionnaire, Anson, seems to have
slipped away during the battle.
Overview
While the Dark Knights question the
group, Barr tries to create a diversion
that will help them all escape.
Getting Started
This scene unfolds in much the same
way as Scene Two, except that Barr has
joined the heroes.
First Impressions
It's no wonder the Knights ot Takhisis
once conquered practically all ot Ansalon in less than a month. The Dark
Knights know how to fight, and you've
got the cuts and bruises to prove it.
You and your defeated comrades
have been bound hand and foot, then
tied to each other, just like the captured
villagers you tried to rescue. You lie
with your backs against a stony bluft.
Anson, the fellow who got you into this
mess, seems to have slipped away from
the Knights during the battle.
All your wounds have been neatly
bandaged with strips of clean linen.
You note that the wounded villagers
haven't received similar attention.
You're just noticing how your bonds
are beginning to cut into your flesh
( you've been tied quite securely) when
the senior Knight approaches you. She
is a nice-looking woman, but her lace is
hard, without a trace of kindness. "You
fought well," she says, "but not well
enough to win."
Behind the woman, you see a few
hobbled villagers piling rocks over a
fresh grave. The woman indicates the
toiling prisoners with a toss other head.
"You're not malicious peasants like
them," she says. "No doubt you felt you
were doing right. Still, you have been
defeated in a fair fight, and I now
demand your aid. My men and I seem to
have been transported here by some great magic. We must return to our
superiors in Qualinesti immediately. Tell
me where we are and how to get back."
The Story Continues
After administering first aid as necessary,
the Knights stripped the heroes of their
armor, shields, and weapons, piling the
confiscated equipment in a big heap in
the center of the camp. Knight-Warrior
Nielow, the senior Knight who addressed
the group, promises to let them go if
they answer her questions. Not only does
she want to know where she is, she
demands the heroes' assurance that her
comrade's grave will remain undisturbed
after the Knights leave.
She interrogates all elf heroes closely,
in case they turn out to be rebels or rebel
sympathizers. She refuses to release anyone she thinks is a member of the Legion
of Steel (see "Actions"), due to the hatred
between the Knights and the Legion.
Nielow has no further interest in the
villagers (they refuse to tell her anything) and will let them go as well after
the heroes cooperate. If the heroes don't
like the knight-warrior's terms, they'll
have to find a way to escape. They
might be able to work their bonds
loose, but they'll still have to fight their
way out of the camp. Clever heroes
might volunteer to help cover the grave
with rocks - which puts improvised
weapons in their hands, though they
would still have their ankles tied.
While the heroes ponder Nielow's
offer, Barr whispers to one of them, "I
got an idea. Just follow my lead."
Then he addresses the senior Knight,
offering to help cover the grave with
stones. Looking him over, Nielow says
accusingly, "You're a Legionnaire, aren't
you?" Barr gulps, but she signals her
men to release him. The Knights lead
him away, still hobbled, to haul rocks.
Later, Barr tries to attack his guard
with a rock, but all he manages to do is
drop it on the Knight's armored foot.
Atmosphere
Knight-Warrior Nielow is confident
and uncompromising, but not cruel.
She clearly dislikes the villagers, and
her troops drive the workers mercilessly. The terrified villagers cringe at
the Knights' every move.
Barr seems very nervous - he knows
the Knights will kill him now that they
realize he's a member of the Legion.
Actions
The heroes have an excellent chance to
get free while the Knights laugh at
Barr's pitiful escape attempt. Working
their bindings loose requires a challenging Dexterity action. Heroes who get
free during Barr's distraction go unnoticed, which gives them a free action.
Otherwise, freed heroes attract one
Knight's immediate notice. The dark
paladin gets a free counterattack unless
the hero makes an average Presence
(Perception) action to intimidate him.
The Knights make subduing attacks, as
described under "Nonlethal Attacks" in
Chapter Three of Night and Day from
Heroes of Steel. However, if attacked
with an improvised or concealed
weapon. Knights counterattack to kill.
A hero who has gotten free can
lunge for the pile of weapons by successfully opening the encounter range.
Once the Knights set Barr to work
picking up rocks, they don't let anyone
else loose; any further efforts to get
onto the rock-carrying detail fail.
Any attempt a hero makes to flee
the camp with an open range action is
automatically trump. Anson lurks outside, and has prepared some traps and
an escape route that will foil pursuit.
The Battle
The heroes begin the scene within
melee range of the Dark Knights but
are quickly tied up. The pile of their
weapons and other possessions lies at
near missile range from them.
Freed heroes might easily pick up
rocks during this scene, either to use in
melee combat or to throw at near missile range. Narrators should treat a rock
as a very light, light, or medium class
weapon, depending on its size, with a
damage rating of +1, +2 or +3.
Characters
Knight Warrior Keici Nielow: Human
female adult, somber demeanor, Champion,
Co 7, Ph 9, In 6, Es 6, Dmg +10 (two-handed sword of distinction), Def -11
(horse shield of distinction, plate armor),
also missile weapons (great bow/+8).
Lily Knights: Human adults, various
demeanors, Adventurers, Co 7, Ph 8, In 5,
Es 6, Dmg +8 (two-handed sword),
Def-9 (horse shield, plate armor), also
missile weapons (great bow/+8).
Thorn Knight: Qualinesti male young
adult, observant demeanor, Adventurer,
Co 6, Ph 6, In 8 (64), Es 8, Dmg +6
(broad sword), Def -7 (chain mail, horse
shield), also sorcery (pyromancy, divination, enchantment).
Villagers: Humans of varied age and
demeanor, Unknowns, Co 5, Ph 5, In 5,
Es 5, Dmg +0 (unarmed), Def 0 (common clothing).
Anson Quickneedle: Human adult male,
valiant demeanor, Champion, Ag 6C,
Dx 6A, St 7A, En 7C, Re 8C, Pe 6A, Sp 6C,
Pr 6B, Dmg +8 (two-handed sword),
Def -6 (chain mail, target shield).
Barr: Human male youth, charismatic
demeanor, Novice, Ag 5C, Dx 5A, St 6A,
En 6C, Re 7C, Pe 5A, Sp 5C, Pr 5B,
Dmg +8 (two-handed sword), Def -6
(chain mail, target shield).
Outcome
Heroes who answer the Knights' questions can go free but must leave Barr. As
they depart, Anson attempts a rescue.
- The Narrator turns to Scene Five if
the heroes assist the Legionnaire, if
they need help escaping, or if their
escape attempt seems to be failing.
- Leaving Anson and Barr to their fate
takes the adventure to Scene Six.
Scene Five: The Rescue
An unexpected spell assault gives heroes
a chance to escape the Dark Knights.
Overview
Anson, a Legionnaire, stands ready to
assist the heroes. He has been tracking
the Dark Knights and might have just
escaped from their camp (see Scene
Four). He has recruited Trenna, a wandering sorceress, to help him rescue the
heroes and villagers. The two surprise
the Knights while they try to wrangle
information from their captives, one of
whom is Barr, Anson's apprentice.
Getting Started
The Narrator can refer to Chapter One
for background and game information
on Trenna, introduced in this scene.
First Impressions
If the heroes are not already in the
midst of battle when this scene opens,
the Narrator should make it clear that
their evasions have infuriated the Dark
Knights, who move to attack them.
Several angry armored Dark Knights
wheel and close in on you. Somehow,
you hadn't quite figured on dying at
the base ot a strange cliff surrounded
by wailing villagers and angry Knights.
The air rings with the metallic clangs of
weapons and armor - enough, it
seems, to account tor three times as
many Knights as you see before you.
Wait! The metal in the pile ot your
confiscated equipment has come to life!
With a flash of ruddy light, the heap ot
weapons in the center of camp rises and
flies outward in a whirlwind of steel.
About a bushel of loose stones joins your
arms and armor in the whirling mass.
The cloud cuts your opponents to
shreds! Say, is that your own sword
headed straight for your forehead?
The Story Continues
This assault, compliments of Trenna,
fells enough Dark Knights for the
heroes to work free and win the battle.
When the dust settles, the heroes see
a tall, handsome man in a green tunic
standing near the camp, sword in hand.
This is Anson, a member of the Legion
of Steel. Trenna, an aging sorceress carrying a staff, stands next to him.
As the spell ends, the weapons all
fall to the ground with a clatter. The
grinning Legionnaire whoops and claps
the woman on the shoulder. He's
impressed with her magic.
Anson runs over to free a young
man near you from his bonds: this is
his apprentice, Barr. Clapping him on
the shoulder, Anson congratulates Barr
for his "good work" in distracting the
Knights while Trenna prepared her
spell (whether the youth actually did
anything or not). The mild apprentice,
who had been looking somewhat crest-fallen, perks up at the words.
Atmosphere
Trenna's spell produces a spectacular
show of gleaming, whirling metal. Narrators should use expansive gestures as
they describe the whoosh the equipment makes sailing through the air.
The heroes' own weapons look sharp
and deadly as they streak though the
air right at them.
It's best to leave one or two Knights
standing after the attack, so the heroes
can have the satisfaction of delivering
the final blows themselves.
Actions
Unfortunately, the heroes run a slight
risk of getting caught in Trenna's stunning rescue spell. To avoid the cloud of
weaponry, each hero must attempt an
easy Agility action. Failure results in the
loss of the hero's lowest card. If he had
only one, he falls unconscious.
After the battle, the heroes may
recover their scattered equipment after a bit of a search (an average Perception
action). If the action fails, the hero may
try again to find his things. A mishap
indicates he has found all his possessions, but something has been damaged
or destroyed (Narrator's choice).
Characters
Knight Warrior Keici Nielow: Human
female adult, somber demeanor, Champion,
Co 7, Ph 9, In 6, Es 6, Dmg +10 (two-handed sword of distinction), Def -11
(horse shield of distinction, plate armor),
also missile weapons (great bow/+8).
Lily Knights: Human adults, various
demeanors, Adventurers, Co 7, Ph 8, In 5,
Es 6, Dmg +8 (two-handed sword),
Def-9 (horse shield, plate armor), also
missile weapons (great bow/+8).
Thorn Knight: Qualinesti male young
adult, observant demeanor, Adventurer,
Co 6, Ph 6, In 8 (64), Es 8, Dmg +6
(broad sword), Def -7 (chain mail, horse
shield), also sorcery (pyromancy, divination, enchantment).
Villagers: Humans of varied age and
demeanor, Unknowns, Co 5, Ph 5, In 5,
Es 5, Dmg +0 (unarmed), Def 0 (common clothing).
Anson Quickneedle: Human adult male,
valiant demeanor, Champion, Ag 6C,
Dx 6A, St 7A, En 7C, Re 8C, Pe 6A, Sp 6C,
Pr 6B, Dmg +8 (two-handed sword),
Def -6 (chain mail, target shield).
Barr: Human male youth, charismatic
demeanor, Novice, Ag 5C, Dx 5A, St 6A,
En 6C, Re 7C, Pe 5A, Sp 5C, Pr 5B,
Dmg +8 (two-handed sword), Def -6
(chain mail, target shield).
Outcome
Anson introduces Trenna (as well as
himself and Barr, if he hasn't already)
and tells the heroes how lucky they are
he ran across the sorceress. Anson takes
any surviving Dark Knights into custody and wonders aloud what their
superiors will think of their failure (he's
trying to recruit them for the Legion).
The story then moves to Scene Seven.
Scene Six: Green Death
If the group evaded a second chance to
be heroic by refusing to assist Anson
and Barr, the heroes now must face an
even greater challenge.
Overview
Iclor, a small green dragon working
with the Knights of Takhisis, has been
flying about, keeping an eye on the band
of Knights and getting the lay of the
land. He watched the meeting between
Anson and the heroes and moves to
attack after the two Legionnaires
depart, figuring the Knights can handle
them.
Getting Started
A dragon's many powers and forms of
attack are described in the Book of the
Fifth Age, Chapter Six.
This scene takes place in a fairly
rugged area with terrain similar to that
in Scene Three: trees, tall grass, heavy
brush, or the like.
First Impressions
It's been hard going for the past few
hours, and you're in great terrain lor an
ambush. There's lots of bumps and
hollows for archers to hide in - the way that crazy Legionnaire you met did -
and plenty of tangled undergrowth to
restrict your vision. Fortunately, there's
been no sign of green dragons living
about, though the sky appears to have
gotten pretty cloudy.
Though the ground underfoot
seems fairly dry, there must be some
kind ot swamp or bog nearby, because
whole squadrons of biting flies hover
around your head, looking for nice, soft
flesh. The terrain seems to rise a hit to
your left, and you can sec a rocky outcrop above the slope. There might be
fewer bugs over there.
The Story Continues
Iclor was working with Knight-Warrior
Nielow's talon of Knights chasing down
the elf renegades in Qualinesti and
found himself transported here along
with them. When Anson and Barr
headed off in Nielow's direction. The
green dragon decided to take the heroes
on himself, since they seemed to be
moving away from the Knights' camp.
Iclor has been watching the party
from the clouds - he even created a few
new ones to give him more cover. Right
now, he's riding a thermal over the
rocky outcropping. He has just used an
aeromancy spell to drive the biting
insects toward the heroes as a little
push to move them toward the outcrop. He also enchanted the rocks on
the outcropping to make them very
slippery. He expects some heroes to slip
and tumble down the slope.
Atmosphere
Narrators who have ever been on a hike
that proved much less pleasant than they
expected can relate to the heroes' situation at the beginning of this scene. The
trail always seems to be going up, forcing
them to clamber over fallen logs and
loose stones that make the footing
treacherous. Annoying flying insects
buzz around their faces all the time - the
heroes just can't get rid of the little pests.
Actions
A hero scanning the sky might spot
Iclor flitting between the clouds; the
party scout may attempt a challenging
Perception action. Those who do notice
the dragon can't quite tell how big or
exactly how far away it is - it's either a
really big dragon far away or a smaller
dragon much closer. In either case,
Iclor vanishes behind a cloud again
about ten minutes before his attack.
If the heroes decide to climb the
slope to avoid all the bugs, the pests stay
with them until they reach the rocks.
The party scout can make an average Perseption action to
note how unusually smooth and shiny the rocks look.
When the party ventures onto the rocks,
each hero must attempt
a challenging Agility
action. (Those who've
been warned of the slippery conditions
find the action average.) Anyone who
fails the action slips and tumbles down-
slope a short distance, stopping at near
missile range from the rest of the group.
A mishap results in a long slide all the
way to the base of the slope. The unfortunate hero suffers 5 damage points
(defense ratings don't apply) and comes
to a stop at artillery range from the
group.
If the party chooses not to climb the
slope, they can drive off the insects in
several ways. An aeromancy spell large
enough to cover the whole party does
the trick, provided its spell effect difficulty is at least 2 points. The heroes
also can drive them off with torches or
a smoky fire.
The Battle
When the heroes reach the rocks, Iclor
begins a dive attack. If they decide not
to climb the slope, he glides down out
of the clouds and uses an alteration
spell to turn a hero into a sheep (which
is how he views most humans in the
first place). Then he begins his dive.
When Iclor attacks, the heroes must
attempt an action to avoid surprise, as
described in Chapter Four of the Book of
the Fifth Age; they cannot surprise Iclor.
If they spotted the dragon earlier, the
action is automatically trump. However,
if the insects still bedevil them, they
receive no trump bonus for the surprise
action - it's hard to look out for danger
when you've got a face full of bugs.
After his dive attack, Iclor lands and
begins a series of melee attacks against
the heroes. (Narrators should note that
he can attack everyone within melee
range in the same exchange.)
At any time during
the dragon's attack, the
heroes might find it
prudent to flee. Heroes
can be assumed to
have quit the field
when they reach far
missile range, provided that Iclor has
landed. In the air, the dragon can follow
the heroes all the way out to visual range,
and pursues anyone he can see.
A fleeing hero can try to duck under
cover to escape the dragon's notice. To
do so, he must be at artillery or visual
range and he must attempt an average
Reason (Perception) action against the
dragon. When several heroes are fleeing
together, all must succeed for the cover
to be effective. If the hero suffers a
mishap, the dragon automatically
closes range and executes a dive attack
on the hero and everyone near him.
Should Iclor have to pursue fleeing
heroes, he might create a huge blast of
wind that covers the entire group,
inflicting 5 damage points upon anyone who fails a resistance action.
Characters
Iclor: A male young green dragon, malicious demeanor, Co 9, Ph 39, In 8 (64),
Es 8 (64), Dmg +12, Def -8, also dragon
breath, swallow whole, dragonawe,
dive attack, sorcery (enchantment,
aeromancy, transmutation), mysticism
(alteration).
Outcome
From here, the adventure could take
one of two routes:
- If Iclor defeats the heroes, the adventure ends for them. Narrators can
allow players to create new heroes,
who begin play with Scene Seven.
- Should the heroes manage to defeat
or evade Iclor, Anson and Barr
appear after about an hour. "My,"
the elder Legionnaire says, "you did
go hunting dragons!" The story continues with Scene Seven.
Scene Seven: Hail the Heroes
The grateful villagers throw an
impromptu party to celebrate their
deliverance from the Dark Knights -
no matter how it was finally achieved.
Overview
The heroes get invitations to the feast,
either as saviors and guests of honor or
as fellow victims. New heroes can
appear at the party as traveling visitors.
The group might be called upon to tell
stories, dance with the locals, or engage
in some form of friendly competition.
Getting Started
The scene takes place in the open air,
behind the row of cottages described in
the introduction. All heroes wounded
during the previous scene have received
first aid, either from each other or from
Anson and Barr. If a wounded hero
became separated from the group during the previous scene and could not
receive first aid (or if the group never
encountered the two Legionnaires), the
villagers give him a foul-tasting herbal
brew that restores one card.
Trenna's description and game
information appear in Chapter One.
First Impressions
Narrators should adjust the text below
as needed for any new heroes entering
the story here.
It's amazing what a few hours have
done for the miserable-looking crowd
of commoners you first saw in the
clutches of the Dark Knights. A big pile
of building supplies has sprouted up
next to the burned-out cottage. No
doubt repairs will be swiftly made.
Despite their cuts and bruises, the
locals smile as they bustle about
preparing to celebrate their deliverance
from the Knights of Takhisis.
A barn door hastily removed from
its hinges serves as a huge dining table,
and some wonderful aromas drift out
from the remaining cottages, whetting
your appetite.
A small contingent of folks from a
neighboring village also have appeared,
including a hulking fellow with brawny
arms, a brightly garbed juggler (probably an itinerant entertainer) and a couple musicians.
The Story Continues
At the celebration, the heroes enjoy
roasted potatoes, heady ale, fresh bread,
and assorted game. The juggler the
heroes saw performs acrobatic feats
during the meal and also juggles flaming brands, fragile cups, and several
knives.
As the evening deepens and the
stars come out, the villagers light a big
bonfire and call for stories; they expect
the heroes to oblige.
After the storytelling, the musicians
take up their instruments and the villagers begin dancing. Again, the heroes
are expected to join in. An elderly man
approaches the female hero with the
highest Presence score and invites her to
dance with his son - the hulking fellow
the heroes saw before the feast. He's an
apprentice blacksmith who proves an
enthusiastic but clumsy dancer.
Heroes who avoid dancing are
invited to make a friendly wager on a
knife-throwing contest with the juggler.
Sometime during the evening, Trenna
approaches a male hero and wants to
dance - it seems the young blacksmith
has been dancing her to death. (If there
are no male heroes present, Trenna
attempts to hide behind a female hero.)
Atmosphere
Here's a chance for the heroes to take a
breather and enjoy their status as extraordinary figures. The villagers treat
them the way most people would treat
professional athletes who suddenly
arrived among them.
When it comes to participating in
the festivities, the villagers won't take
"no" for an answer. At storytelling time,
they shout and clap until someone
holds forth. Likewise, at least one hero
winds up among the dancers, even if
the villagers must drag him - though
they prefer to launch a barrage of compliments and coax the hero before getting physical: "I would be so honored if
such a valiant warrior would dance this
reel with me, kind sir. Please, everyone
is watching! What shall I say if you
refuse? Surely one dance cannot be as
unpleasant as fighting an Evil Knight?"
Actions
Impressing the crowd with a story requires an easy Presence action. Success
brings polite applause and general appreciative comments. An action score of
11 points or higher brings wild enthusiasm of a type appropriate to the tale
(laughter, tears, or whatever). A mishap,
on the other hand, brings good-natured
laughter at the storyteller's gaffe.
Dancing requires an easy Agility
action. Failure means no one else seems
interest in shaking a leg with the hero
for the rest of the evening. A mishap
brings about a spectacular accident:
Perhaps the hero gets an ember from
the bonfire in his shoe or kicks over the
banquet table. Dancing's difficulty rises
to average for a hero partnered with the
young blacksmith, who tends to stomp
on a lady's toes. Failure here results in a
-1 action penalty for the rest of the
scene (due to a numbed foot).
The knife-throwing contest requires
an easy wealth action to come up with a
wager. Winning the contest requires an
average Dexterity (Dexterity) action.
The juggler is willing to compete until
he has lost three times. Each time a
hero wins, he can claim a +1 action
bonus to a future wealth action.
Staring down the young blacksmith
who has come looking for another
lance from Trenna requires an average
Presence (Spirit) action. If it fails, the
blacksmith drags the woman off to dance unless the heroes physically
intervene. In the event of a mishap, the
blacksmith becomes offended and tries
to punch the hero. If the heroes don't
return the attack, the villagers run the
blacksmith out of town. Otherwise, the
villagers let the heroes pound the smith
into the dirt, and the party ends on a
sour note.
Characters
The festivities certainly drew a wide
assortment of colorful characters. The
apprentice blacksmith, who smells of
sweat and coal smoke, considers himself a suave fellow, but he's really a lummox and a hayseed. On the other hand,
the juggler is smooth, well-traveled,
and clear-headed enough to stay out of
trouble. Trenna looks quite fetching in
the firelight, which hides her aged
appearance (see Chapter One).
If the heroes have not yet encountered the Legionnaires Anson and Barr,
they should run into them in this
scene.
Two dozen villagers: Humans of varied
age and demeanor, Unknowns, Co 5, Ph 5,
In 5, Es 5, Dmg +0 (unarmed), Def 0
(common clothing).
Blacksmith: Human young adult male,
purposeful demeanor, Rabble, Co 5, Ph 7,
In 5, Es 5, Dmg +2 (improvised
weapon), Def -2 (leather armor).
Juggler: Half-elf adult male, clever
demeanor, Adventurer, Co 7, Ph 5, In 5,
Es 5, Dmg +2 (improvised weapon),
Def -2 (leather armor).
Anson Quickneedle: Human adult male,
valiant demeanor, Champion, Ag 6C,
Dx 6A, St 7A, En 7C, Re 8C, Pe 6A, Sp 6C,
Pr 6B, Dmg +8 (two-handed sword),
Def -6 (chain mail, target shield).
Barr: Human male youth, charismatic
demeanor, Novice, Ag 5C, Dx 5A, St 6A,
En 6C, Re 7C, Pe 5A, Sp 5C, Pr 5B,
Dmg +8 (two-handed sword), Def -6
(chain mail, target shield).
Outcome
When the heroes have celebrated long
enough, the adventure continues with
Act Two, Scene One.
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