[Lvl 1-10] - Massacre at Fort Dolor.pdf - Przygody - IlMOD

MASSACRE AT

by Shawn Merwin

I n an area recently freed from the assaults of a powerful white dragon,

an oft-destroyed military outpost has been rebuilt and now grows prosperous.

The walls of the fort are sturdy, and both civilian and military inhabitants have

eased into a routine in the thriving community. However, an unlikely prophecy

from a mysterious visitor starts a chain of events that threaten Fort Dolor—and all

its inhabitants—once again.

“Massacre at Fort Dolor” is a D&D adventure for five 8th-level PCs. The

adventure takes place in an area on the edge of a civilized nation, where cold

weather, looming mountains, and a dark forest pose a constant threat to settlers.

FORT DOLOR

illustrations by Stephen Crowe and Jim Nelson ✦ cartography by Sean Macdonald

August 2008 | Dungeon 157

MASSACRE AT FORT DOLOR

ADVENTURE

BACKGROUND

The lair of the white dragon housed a portal to

the hellish realm of Dis, but the great dragon had

prevented anything from opening the gate. With the

defeat of the dragon, the portal is once again a viable

passage for devils entering this realm. a howling hag

named Trilleste learned of the portal, and she entered

the lair after the death of the dragon to open it.

The first devil through the portal was a succubus

called Xeriope. She serves Ichyrot, a chain devil

master who commanded the succubus to assist the

howling hag in sowing confusion and treachery in the

land around the portal while he raised enough devil-

ish troops to create an army and establish a foothold

here. Xeriope quickly took stock of the situation, and

she saw Fort Dolor slowly becoming a stable and

well-fortified settlement in the area. She knew she

had to act quickly, before Fort Dolor became too large

and too powerful to be conquered by the impending

devilish invasion.

Trilleste, Xeriope, and some of their devilish min-

ions destroyed a few outlying farms and logging camps

but ignored the mining camps, thus making it look as

though the threat came from the forest rather than the

mountains. Then, using her ability to take alternate

forms, Xeriope masqueraded as the lone survivor of

an attack on one of the farms. The garrison troops

who investigated the attack brought her back to Fort

Dolor, and she charmed the garrison commander, a

strict taskmaster but revered soldier named Captain

revince. Under Xeriope’s inf luence, Captain revince

unknowingly sent patrols into ambushes arranged by

Trilleste and Xeriope, so that now only a small group of

garrison troops remains, and those are the most unfit

and incorrigible of soldiers.

Before the attacks began, Trilleste took the form

of an old dwarf hermit. She entered Fort Dolor and

began spouting prophecies with the hopes of keeping

the focus of the townsfolk away from the dragon’s lair,

ensuring that no one would learn about the portal.

She also hoped that the false prophecies would help

sway the attitude of the townspeople, leading them to

make decisions that would favor the devils.

She stood in front of the avalanche Inn and spoke

of visions she’d had. Based on those (nonexistent)

visions, she spoke the following prophecies:

✦ a danger brewed in the dark forest, awakened

from years of slumber by the loggers who now

ventured there for timber.

✦ The evil from the woods will first kill loggers

and farmers in the area.

✦ Only one will survive the attacks, and that one is

the key to defeating the evil.

✦ Many soldiers will die in the battle with the evil,

but none will ever find their bodies.

✦ Strangers will come to town with intentions of

helping against the evil, but those strangers will

inadvertently lead to the destruction of Fort Dolor.

With these prophecies in mind, the residents of

the fort went about their business, thinking them the

rants of a crazed dwarf. Slowly, however, the prophe-

cies came true—mainly because Trilleste, Xeriope,

and their small force made them come true. Log-

gers and farmers died, one young woman (Xeriope

pretending to be a farmer’s daughter) survived an

attack, and most of the garrison soldiers have disap-

peared while out patrolling and investigating attacks.

now the PCs have arrived, and the residents of Fort

Dolor are afraid they are going to somehow lead to

the town’s downfall. Of course, Trilleste said this to

sow discord and reduce the possibility that any heroes

might arrive to foil the plans of Ichyrot’s forces.

More than a century ago, a fortified town was built in

the hinterlands of a prosperous nation. The fort-town

housed an army garrison tasked to protect the valu-

able resources and trading routes running through

this still-wild corner of the nation. The land bordered

on mountains rich in precious ore, on forests holding

valuable timber, and on a river that provided fertile

farmland.

Unfortunately, the land also held terrible dangers,

the greatest of which was the powerful white dragon

Frystiomagythant. as soon as the fort-town grew large

enough to draw his attention, the dragon destroyed it.

Failing to understand the scope of the problem, the

nation’s leaders rebuilt the fort; the town within the

fort would thereafter grow anew, only to suffer the

wrath of the dragon once again. This devastation hap-

pened numerous times, killing scores in the process.

Finally, just as the fort-town, nicknamed Fort

Dolor by the unlucky inhabitants, grew large enough

to be doomed to another dragon attack, a band of

adventurers braved Frystiomagythant’s icy lair and

slew the dragon. With that threat gone, the fort-town

was free to grow more prosperous than ever before.

Miners, loggers, farmers, and craftspeople quickly

learned of the opportunities offered in the rich lands

around Fort Dolor. The once-doomed town is now

seen as a place to make one’s fortune.

Two years have passed since the vanquishing

of the dragon, and Fort Dolor has quickly turned

into a place where even garrison troops finally see

being stationed there as something more than just a

death sentence. The locals who survived the dragon’s

attacks have started to forget the past troubles, but a

new threat grows.

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MASSACRE AT FORT DOLOR

ADVENTURE SYNOPSIS

Finally, after dealing with the threats and

investigations in and around Fort Dolor, the PCs

can brave the white dragon’s former lair, now

home to a growing number of devils and those

who serve the otherworldly evil. If the PCs succeed

in defeating the inhabitants of the lair, they can find

the chamber holding the portal. To close it, they

must first defeat Ichyrot, the chain devil leader

of the devilish invasion.

nPCs within Fort Dolor, many locations have been

purposefully left undeveloped to allow you to add

your own encounters or information. If Fort Dolor

is used as a base of operations for the PCs, you can

add other businesses or services of value or interest.

DM-created nPCs with whom the PCs can establish

long-term relationships could be placed in some of the

unspecified buildings in Fort Dolor.

When the PCs arrive at Fort Dolor, they find the

place strangely quiet and the citizens reluctant to

speak to them. Most of the places of business are

closed, people have locked their doors to strangers,

and the garrison barracks contain only a few soldiers.

Taking part in a skill challenge can give the PCs

more information. a complete success brings to them

one of the garrison soldiers, who explains that he

knows the grieving farmer’s daughter is not what she

appears. This leads the PCs directly to the encounter

with the succubus without any further complication.

a partial success draws the attention of Lieutenant

Stymers, a corrupt soldier who is using the current

unrest in Fort Dolor to steal military supplies for sale

on the black market. after the confrontation with

Stymers and his lackeys, the PCs can learn about

the situation with the Xeriope and Captain revince,

and they can go there after dealing with the corrupt

soldiers. Total failure of the skill challenge means

the PCs are given false leads, and they might follow a

false trail into the dark forest. They must then wait for

a newly arrived garrison commander before learning

of Xeriope’s tricks, and the delay in dealing with the

problems makes later encounters in the devils’ lair

more challenging.

after confronting the succubus Xeriope, the PCs

learn the location of Trilleste in her disguise as the

dwarf hermit. Clues here reveal that a new evil has

taken residence in the old lair of the white dragon. If

circumstances in the town allow, the PCs can gather

information about the location and layout of the drag-

on’s old lair, which might assist them in their foray

against the devilish inhabitants of the lair and those

who serve the devils.

THE QUESTS

“Massacre at Fort Dolor” offers the opportunity

for PCs to earn quest XP once they discover the

true problem behind the area’s apparent woes.

STARTING THE

ADVENTURE

read or paraphrase the following to start the

adventure:

Major Quest—Closing the Portal

Once the PCs discover and close the portal, they

can receive an experience point award, plus the

thanks of the locals.

Reward: 1,750 XP.

The rumors you heard said the best place to find adventure

and wealth is a fortified town on the edge of civilization

called Fort Dolor. The place is still considered wilderness by

even the hardiest souls, but its location makes it important:

it’s near a mountain range teeming with valuable ore

deposits, at the edge of a huge forest full of uncut timber,

and in the vicinity of a large river that makes the farmland

rich and bountiful during the growing season. Miners,

loggers, and farmers brave enough to withstand the

dangers of the area have been moving there. The region

around Fort Dolor is dangerous, however, and brave

adventurers are always in high demand wherever danger

prevails—especially where danger is in such close proximity

to valuable resources.

PREPARING FOR

ADVENTURE

The adventure presents encounters that tell a

complete story. However, you can add tangential

encounters to the adventure if desired. any of the

inhabitants in Fort Dolor could send the PCs on a

side mission in return for promising to tell them

more about what is happening there.

although the skill challenge in a Town’s Worst

Fear contains information on specific locations and

If the PCs want more information about Fort Dolor

and the surrounding area, allow the following skill

checks to provide it:

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MASSACRE AT FORT DOLOR

nature

DC 10: The land around Fort Dolor is temperate

during the spring and summer months, but

immediately after the fall harvest, a long and

brutal winter descends. During these winters,

wild animals looking for food become desperate

enough to approach civilized areas and sometimes

attack humanoids.

DC 15: Goblinoid creatures have made their

homes in the forests near Fort Dolor. Their levels

of activity rise and fall as the seasons and years pass,

depending on their food levels, changes in leadership,

and other factors.

After the PCs have gained their information,

performed their research, gathered their

supplies, and undertaken their journey to Fort

Dolor, describe the scene when they arrive:

History

DC 10: For the last 100 years, this area has

resisted all attempts to tame it. attacks from the

mountains, the forest, and the wilds—by threats

both natural and unnatural—have always destroyed

anyone trying to bring civilization here.

DC 15: The largest threat to the area was a white

dragon, which was vanquished by adventurers two

years ago. Since that time, the area has begun to

prosper like never before. Other threats, such as

goblinoids and wild animals, are still present.

DC 25: The garrison at Fort Dolor currently

holds more than 200 soldiers, and it is commanded

by Captain revince, a leader known for his no-

nonsense attitude and strategic brilliance.

The journey to Fort Dolor proved relatively uneventful.

The spring thaw meant the days were warm enough, but

the nights had a chill to them still. As you approach Fort

Dolor, you see a wooden palisade built at the base of a great

mountain. The palisade surrounds several wooden and

stone structures, and the recent prosperity of the area has

resulted in newer wooden structures being built outside the

enclosed fort.

Although you have arrived during a sunny afternoon,

no one is working on the half-built structures outside the

palisade walls. Watchtowers looming over the gates into the

fort are unmanned, and the gates stand open. Within the

palisade walls, the doors and windows of the buildings are

closed and shuttered. No signs of life greet you, save for the

smoke coming from the chimney of a large stone building in

the center of town.

Dungeoneering

DC 15: Long ago, the mountains in the area were

home to a large clan of dwarves. The clan disap-

peared, and no one knows what happened to them.

Since that time, the mountains are rumored to con-

tain all manner of creatures and their respective lairs.

none of these rumors have been substantiated.

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MASSACRE AT FORT DOLOR

The building at the center of town with the fireplace

burning is the avalanche Inn. That is the best place

for the PCs to start searching for answers about the

current situation in Fort Dolor. They can go to other

places to search for answers, of course. The investiga-

tion of the happenings at Fort Dolor is described in a

Town’s Worst Fear.

or failures, the PCs can choose to follow certain inves-

tigative paths, which could lead to other encounters.

In addition, the PCs might find other creative ways

to achieve success. The PCs might attempt to stand

outside a door or window and overhear a conversation

using a Stealth or Perception check. They might try

to gain the trust or favor of a townsperson by helping

an ailing child with a Heal check. They might try use

a Bluff check to gain someone’s trust by convincing

them they are someone else. The following section

can also be run without a skill challenge component,

though the framework of this section outlines the

DCs and potential success points for a skill challenge.

Level: 8.

Complexity: 2 (requires 6 successes before 3

failures).

Primary Skills: See each area entry below for

specific primary skills.

Success: If the PCs attain sufficient successes, or if

they defeat Lieutenant Stymers after gathering proof

of his crimes, they are approached by a tief ling called

Private Zanphist. read or paraphrase the following:

in command now, but the lieutenant ignored him. He

knows that Stymers is up to no good and that he is

lying about having sent for reinforcements.

Partial Success: If the PCs reach three failures but

earn at least three successes, the PCs are

confronted by Lieutenant Stymers, who knows what

is happening in town but is letting it happen since he

and his cronies are profiting off the situation. This

result is described in encounter 1.

Failure: If the PCs reach three failures before

reaching three successes, they are completely stymied

in their attempts to figure out what is happening.

everyone refuses to speak to them, and the only lead

they have points them into the forest. This result is

described in Lost in the Woods.

A TOWN’S WORST FEAR

This section contains both a description of the fort-

town of Fort Dolor, as well as a skill challenge. The

PCs can investigate the locations within and around

Fort Dolor, seeking news from the citizens and

inhabitants.

AREA 1: THE AVALANCHE INN

This newly constructed wood and stone building is

owned and operated by a dwarf called Skeetty by the

locals. When the PCs arrive at the avalanche Inn,

only one other person is there apart from Skeetty: a

female half ling named Jirl Ondish. Jirl came to the

area two days ago to see if she should bring the rest

of her family to start a business moving goods up

and down the river. Given the current climate and

circumstances in Fort Dolor, she is waiting until the

situation resolves itself. Having been in the fort for

only two days, she is in the same predicament as the

PCs. She can offer them no help, but she might draw

the suspicions of the PCs during their investigations

if the DM wishes.

Skeetty is just as scared as everyone else by the

prophecies, but he is also a consummate business-

man. While he might believe that the PCs could be

the (falsely prophesied) “strangers that will bring

The town before you seems strangely quiet, and its citizens

turn away from you as you make your way down the

streets. Windows and doors are shut, businesses are closed,

and many buildings are dark. If you are to learn anything

of the town and what is going on, you must figure out where

to start.

Setup: The PCs have to work hard to learn any

information from the residents of Fort Dolor. The PCs

can travel to various locations and make skill checks

to attempt to extract information from the townsfolk.

each successful check counts as a success toward

the skill challenge. a failed check counts as a failure.

Unlike a normal skill challenge, the PCs must visit

the various town locations before they can make an

appropriate check. In addition, if the PCs fail the skill

challenge but still have three successes, they achieve

partial success (see Success and Failure at the end of

the encounter). regardless of the number of successes

Striding purposefully toward you is a tief ling wearing the

uniform of a private. When he is ten feet away from you, he

salutes. “Private Zanphist, wishing to speak with you.” He

stands at attention, apparently awaiting an answer.

If given leave to speak, the tief ling reports seeing Cap-

tain revince kissing the girl Xeriope in the barracks

when she was first brought in. He then heard her

order him to send out small patrols to specific loca-

tions around the area. none of those patrols returned.

He knows that the girl was taken to the home of the

herbalist, and he is sure the captain is there with her.

He tried to report this to Lieutenant Stymers, who is

August 2008 | Dungeon 157

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