Magic Potion
A background and guidelines for short adventure for d20 fantasy RP. Suitable for one night of play for low level characters.
Contents
Background[edit]
This is adventure of two Gaulish braves and one Roman spy. As you can see it is a d20 Historical setting, but it could be adjusted for any sort of Bronze Age fantasy setting.
The Story so far[edit]
It is very dramatic time for Gaulish tribes. Romans are expanding, they already formed provinces of Aquitania, Narbonensis and Galia Cisalpina. Lands of Celtica are still free, but Romans gained new client-tribes, and their new proconsul is looking for fight. He managed to use Celtic infighting to intervene for Aedui tribe against Arverni and Sequani tribes. Brave Arvernii are most vocal of all tribes in their struggle to form pan-Celtic front and resist Romans. It's only natural since their lands are next to fall. Skirmishing is getting worse of late. More Avernii are being amubshed by Roman patrols, more border incidents and burned villages, things are really going to get nasty pretty soon. Hevetii and Suebii got trashed by new Roman commander, who is going to return to Celtica for more blood. Then, later next year (57 BC), Arvernii learn of Roman defeat. Apparently Nervii found way to beat Legions. Noone knows how they did it and rumour says - magic potion! Two Arvernii braves venture out to seek crazy druid who is said to be able to brew this super-strenght potion...
Dramatis Personae[edit]
Since this is short-adventure, characters are prepared in advance and handed out for players. Essentially, players can re-write the characters, as long as its two Gaul guys and one Roman girl.
Two naive Gaulish braves[edit]
Irvyn ap Tory and Cathair ap Floyd are typical Arvernii. They are 2nd lvl Fighters, young, strong, blonde, adorned with torcs of gold and neatly trimmed drooping moustache. They are boisterous, loud, proud and rather naive. They strike out on their own, trying to locate mad druid somewhere in the lands of Pictones.
Roman girl[edit]
Livia Metelli Prima is daughter of Roman patrician living in Narbonensis. Born and bred in city of Narbo, young Livia had Gaulish lady as her wet-nurse. Livia is very intelligent, quick witted and inquisitive. She learned a great deal about Gauls, their customs, their language, but Livia is Roman and will do anything to help her countrymen dominate barbaric tribes. Given her odd (for a Roman) looks (Livia is blonde), and her background, she is perfect spy to find out what Arvernii are up to. She travels to land of Arvernii, only to stumble across two Gauls on secret mission...
Mad Druid[edit]
Yes, there is a mad druid living as gelit, man of the woods. He is proficient in making potions, but alas being quite mad he can't always get them right. By the time Arvernii braves and Roman spy reach his abode, he poisoned entire fores with his latest botched potion-making...
Episode I - Two Gauls and little spy[edit]
Where Gauls meet Livia in distress, save her and get her to tag along.
Episode II - It's long way to Pictones[edit]
Where Gauls get to like little Roman, as they travel across Celtica
Episode III - Madman's forest[edit]
Where Gauls meet with mutated agressive animals
Episode IV - The Madman[edit]
Where Gauls clearly see how Mad exactly he is
End game[edit]
Gauls can abadon their quest, or help druid clean up the mess and escort him to Arvernii Tribe Roman spy learns of magic potion and tries to backstab Gauls either by sabotaging their effort and slaying the druid.
Alternatively, there is no magic potion, players can become friends which leaves them in double drama... When Gauls learn that their companion is Roman spy, will they let her live? When Livia learns that whole thing was a silly wild goose chase, will she stick with her new friends or backstab them anyway...
more work tomorrow
