The World Tree/Act 2

File:The Ashen Warrior.jpg

The Ashen Warrior

Synopsis

After being unsettled by Magnus the night before, the party makes acquaintance with a guardian of the World Tree:a fairy named Nefaria. She informs them of the compasses' word and the location of the Ashen Warrior's remains, claiming to resurrect her if they are to find them. After helping the party locate the Ashen Warrior's Tomb, the party must fight their way through a dungeon to collect her remains before the tomb claims theirs!

Adventure Hooks

Although the party is already on a "main quest", these hooks are used to engage characters into the story and build knowledge to create the background, purpose, and importance of the World Tree as well as preparing them for encountering Magnus again. The following acts can be manipulated as you, the DM, chooses. What is important is allowing players to find the knowledge held within each act. (Example: insert your favorite dungeon designs instead of the one used in Scene Levels for this act.

Hook: Of Loot and Vagabonds

Nefaria has informed you of a tomb located near Ael'Dea that holds the remains of the Ashen Warrior. She claims that if we are able to retrieve the remains, the warrior can be resurrected for their cause by her. The catch is a heap-load of monsters and traps located within her tomb that are used for this very reason.

Those who have engaged in the story line, love a good dungeon, or a good alignment will happily spring at this chance. Be sure to explain who the Ashen Warrior is and her deeds to the players before Nefaria arrives (easily done through recapping the Scene 1 of Act 1.

Quest XP: XXXXxp (minor quest) retrieve the Ashen Warriors remains from her tomb.

Hook: ...ESPECIALLY loot.

Nefaria said something about a warrior from eons ago...but what's really important is the weapons she holds within. The Bane of Magnus and the Ashen Mace, among other amounts of tribute are free for the taking. A pretty penny can be made!

This hook works best with PCs who are more interested in gold or magic items. Be sure to explain the history of the dungeon, the Ashen Warrior, and the items she carried.

Quest XP: XXXXxp (minor quest) retrieve the magic items and as much gold as possible.

Setup

Within this campaign, it is crucial that information and story line that was covered in the past be remembered and questioned by the encounters the party faces. Due to the massive size of this module, it might be a good idea to have a record keeper in the group to take notes on the campaign and story line. When setting up for other acts, briefly recap these notes before beginning, adding onto major points and erasing minor points as those questions are answered.

Some things to consider, after the last scene in Act I, the players may be slightly upset with the previous encounter if the party was unsuccessful. Do not focus try to "fix" this too much. Most of this anger is yes, at the encounter, but will form a deep sitting rage for Magnus at the end with amazing results. The best advice is to skim over it, acknowledge it happened, and move on. Feel free to blame the module for its poorly written quality.

Scene I

When the players are ready to begin, read the following:

The night before was a long one. Not only was the Tsar Outpost destroyed by the Scarlet Eye, the very enemy they sought to destroy paid a visit to them. [insert what happened at the event]. The sun that shines through the trees is almost like a bitter mockery of what had happened the night before. Magnus will not be as lucky next time.

A use of humor can work well here. Nefaria is a pixie, after all, and loves to prank unwary travelers. She can do a variety of things, kicking the weight out from under an unbalanced character, flinging food at a player, or placing someone's possessions into someone else's bag. Feel free to role-play the responses, but if Nefaria believes there will be a fight to ensue, she will transport them to her plane in the Feywild. This is not required, but can break some tension if need be. Read the following whenever there seems to be a lull in the role-play.

Nefaria

A bright light surrounds each of your characters eyes and the world fades into light. The warmth pierces through to the bone, but is pleasant and comforting. The humidity dissipates as the light fades way to what is before you.

What once used to be your camp (or outpost) is now lush foliage. The world is tinted with a yellow glow as the sun hangs high in the sky. The scent of lavender, oak, and other plants fill your nostrils; truly a wonderful smell. You are standing in a clearing of tall trees, and can hear hundreds of pollinating insects and singing birds.

An arcana check of DC 20 will reveal they have been teleported to this location, the Feywild. A failed roll will merely suggest that they have been moved by magical means, but do not know where or by who.

The sounds of nature pass as a high pitched scream begins to grow louder and louder. The sound seems to be coming from a glowing orb of green light that is traveling at you as fast as an arrow, and stops before an elven player or a good character. As she stops inches from their nose, the green light fades to reveal a small fairy, the size of your palm. She is breathing heavily, until finally exclaiming, "Run for your life! There are crazy people everywhere!" (if asked, she is referring to them) She doubles over with laughter and wipes away a tear.

From here, she tends to make jokes and insults to the players, becoming agitated with those who do not go along with it. A LOT of interesting outcomes can come from this, but there is a core structure to the conversation.

Establishment of her character:

• Sassy and sarcastic, but serious about the World Tree and those who oppose it.
• Almost chaotic in nature, she can not keep still and only contacts the players on her schedule.
• Feels powerless for what's to come and has sought them out by her own means.

Information:

• She is able to raise the Ashen Warrior should they receive her remains from the tomb.
  • She plans on taking the remains to the tree where Ra-Orn can raise her.
• The tomb is located near Ael'Dea, and is full of danger.
  • The tomb used to be a shrine where offerings of gold and equipment were given to her.
  • The tomb is now long forgotten relic that no one dares enter.
  • The citizens of Thal chose to keep the remains protected by wild beasts and dangerous monsters.
• The word for the compass shortest distance including the future is Gairid, with Direach being for the shortest land distance.

What is most important are the things that Nefaria doesn't know. Whether she is a one time NPC or a recurring guide is up to you, but that all depends on her usefulness to the party. At any point, Nefaria can be exchanged for Horough should the need arise.

As long as these points are met, the topic of conversation, her temperament, or her attitude towards the players can and should be played however you wish. The more dramatic and sarcastic with the players, the more irritating and memorable she becomes!

Whenever the party (or you) is finished with the information and have no other questions, read the following text:

Nefaria glances to the player she met first. "Remember, Ashen Warrior. South of Ael'Dea. Tomb with Bad Monsters." Nefaria spins in a circle that forms a green light as she darts off into the trees. The woods around you begin to fade to white once more.

When you return, you camp is no longer at its original place. In fact, your entire camp has been moved into an entirely different spot on the road, with all of your possessions keeping relative distance to one another. The road next to you is at the edge of the woods, where you can see the village of Ael'Dea before you, with chimney smoke rising to the skies. Thankfully, it appears as if though no time has passed.

Scene II

Ael'Dea

Entering the City

Ael'Dea

Within the city of Ael'Dea, there are only three major professions that make serious money: raising livestock, growing crops, or delivering the previous two to Thal or Daerum. There are no taverns or inns here, since those coming to Ael'Dea stay with family. The locals are also easy to trust and there are few guards that are on actual duty.

The smell of freshly cut plants and sizzling beef fills the air. As you enter into Ael'Dea, you see that there are very few people on the "streets", for they are all out hunting game, doing chores, and running errands. The people are kind to you in passing, but when asked about the tomb, they know nothing of it. Finding this tomb will be harder than you thought.

Borik Reginald

You are approached by a tall man, with a confident air about him. When he speaks, he is polite and friendly.

"Hello there. The name is Borik Reginald, leader of this village. What brings you to Ael'Dea?"

If they mention the tomb, he will nod and say the following:

"Aye, many a wary wanderer has searched for the Tomb of the Ashen Warrior. I will tell you the same as I told them. Leave it be. Its too dangerous out in that area. There is a statue of her in Daerum, you can pay your respects there."

If they don't ask about the tomb, he will nod and say the following:

"Good on you. We are a small village, but we are growing. Should you need anything at all, feel free to let us know."

Should the players insist on finding the tomb, Borik will say the following:

"I'll tell you what. I've heard that not far from here, there were reports of [insert enemies from wilderness encounter here]. Take care of them and prove that I'm sending self reliant people to take care of themselves."

This is where you insert the prepared wilderness encounter. Should the players have already defeated them, Borik will believe them and tell them the location.

Upon returning, Borik will respond with the following:

"Word travels quickly about you. Thank you. If I had the time or resources, I would myself. Ael'Dea is located south of the first bend of the east path. Keep going past the eagle's rock and you will see it."

Borik will not have much to reward the players with for taking care of the monsters (20 silver pieces in total) but he will reserve a plot of land for them, should they choose to live here in the future.

Scene 2 Conclusion:

After the final conversation, Borik will head to his house to finish some chores with his wife, Sarii.

All that awaits them is the tomb, which will be one of prolonged combat and little chance for RP. Make sure the party realizes where they will be heading. When they are ready, begin Scene III.

Scene III (XXXX xp)

The Abandoned Shrine

The Ashen Warrior's Tomb

Begin this scene whenever the party is ready to travel to the tomb.

As you follow Borik's direction, down the path, you notice the bend in the path and trudge straight through the undergrowth. It appears that this path has been cleared on a small scale, but not enough to be noticeable to passerby. After several moments, you pass the "eagle's rock", a giant stone that shares an uncanny resemblance to an eagle's head. vines and brush have started to overgrow the stone, but it appears to have been relatively new to this area.

Setup:

Not far from the strange rock, you find what appears to be the entrance. What used to be polished marble is now overgrown rock caked with dirt and debris. The surrounding area has been cleared, but appears to need some tidying to make presentable. As you approach, you notice several horrific statues among the outskirts of the tomb entrance, similar to those you saw at the outpost. They do not seem to be moving, and many have their backs to you.

This is for revenge and to bolster confidence before going into the tomb. Let the party get as meticulous as they like.

Tactics:

The gargoyle's goal is to survive. Should more than half of the gargoyles be slain, the gargoyles will make a DC 10 Wisdom saving throw or be terrified of the party, fleeing into the woods. Should any survive, the Scarlet Eye will be prepared for them in Act # Scene #. If the party is defeated, the gargoyles will flee to the Scarlet Eye, joining them in Act # Scene #.

Features of the Area:

Illumination: Bright for day, dim for night..

Terrain Features: Fallen pillars and brush get in creatures way. Should a creature sprint through "Grasping Vines", they must make a DC 10 Strength saving throw or be restrained. See Scene Levels.

Treasure: 0 gp

Conclusion:

Play out what the characters would like to do. Resting outside of the tomb will bring the Scarlet Eye to them during their rest.

The gargoyles will flee to Daerum and seek out the Scarlet Eye, warning them of your survival and your presence at the tomb.

Scene IV

Setup

The Ashen Warrior's Tomb: Interior

Passing through the doorway, you notice that the tomb within is dark, but something recently has been here. Vines hang in front of your face as you pass through for several steps until the tomb opens into stone corridors and high ceilings. In its prime, the tomb would seem immaculate, a place nicer than most homes in the area. You can't help but notice that this is truly a wonderful place that has been left to squalor and ruin over the ages. As you pass, clouds of dust swirl around your feet and rise into the air, making it difficult to see at times. The smell of dust, mildew, and must fills your nostrils as you take in the view. Ancient torches sit in their holders with dark smoke stains surrounding them and occasional cracks and gouges in the wall leave a pile of rubble below them, making the corridors difficult to pass through.

For ease of formatting and understanding, refer to Scene Levels for more information about the tomb and its contents.

Experience Total

Of Loot and Vagabonds or ...ESPECIALLY loot(XXXX xp)

Nefaria (XXXX xp)

Ael'Dea (XXXX xp)

The Abandoned Shrine: Ground Floor (≈XXXX xp)

Tomb Entrance (≈XXXX xp)

One Encounter (≈XXXX xp)

Two Encounters (≈XXXX xp)

Three Encounters (≈XXXX xp)

Four Encounters (≈XXXX xp)

Five Encounters (≈XXXX xp)

Six Encounters (≈XXXX xp)

Seven Encounters (≈XXXX xp)

Eight Encounters (≈XXXX xp)

Wandering Monsters (≈XXXX xp)

The Abandoned Shrine: West (≈XXXX xp) The Abandoned Shrine: East (≈XXXX xp)

Previous XP amount: 101,250 xp
Prologue XP total: XXXX xp

Total XP Progression: XXXX
Current Level: 12
Act Loot: XXXXXXXXXXXX

NPCs and Organizations

Nefaria: A representative and caretaker of the World Tree. Nefaria is overly dramatic and sassy, but will do what it takes to keep Ra-Orn and the tree alive.

Borik Reginald: Temporary leader of Ael'Dea, Borik is a good man who holds human life above all else. Borik knows the location of the Ashen Warrior's tomb, and will only show the party if they can prove their worth.

The Ashen Warrior: A great warrior from the Time of Chaos that defeated Magnus. The warrior is said to hold two magical items, the Bane of Magnus and the Ashen Mace.

Scarlet Eye: At this juncture, the Scarlet Eye is a mercenary group that is usually hired by patrons to assassinate, smuggle, or blackmail. Their symbol is a red inked iris and eyelashes.

Blood Bound: Organization or cult that slayed a hydra within the Tomb of the Ashen Warrior.

The Ashen Warrior's Tomb: Burial ground and shrine dedicated to the Ashen Warrior. The city of Thal decided it best to protect the remains of the tomb by placing mysterious traps and dangerous beasts, keeping dark forces from resurrecting her for their ill purpose.

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