The World Tree/Prologue

"The Salty Dog" overlooking the Valean Bay and port.

Synopsis

The prologue was designed to get players engaged in the action and develop a "hooked" party for the campaign The World Tree. Characters are asked to make their backstories begin at The Salty Dog tavern in Valea, a sea port town, and at least one of the characters having a connection to an old elf named Orland Earcoro. While there, the players are gathered and informed of their summons by the Thal Council and are asked to leave immediately. When doing so, a drunk patron named Glorik Mastbreaker claims the party didn't pay for their drinks, creating an early game scene with little to no cost of life or impact on story hooks. While traveling, the group is halted by "Thal Toll Collections Agency", which are actually members of a secret cult disguised as Toll Collectors (Werewolves 1st playthrough). If the clues are pieced together, they will be revealed as the Scarlet Eye, a mercenary group that have sought out the players specifically. This is not required for experienced or social groups and does not affect further story if prologue is not completed.

Adventure Hooks

Use the following quests to hook the PCs into the adventure. Take careful consideration of character's common goals for being at The Salty Dog before selecting a hook.

Hook: Council Summoning

It appears the Thal Council has requested your appearance, and it is not to lock you in chains or for a congratulatory speech. They have a summoning of an emergency and require your assistance, but also require as much discreetness as possible with the matter. The council are requesting your appearance at the Thal, a city not far from Valea. Once there, they have asked you to find Orland, head of the Thal Council by tomorrow's eve. There has also been a large payment made in advance for you, further describing the urgency of the situation.

PCs who are primarily interested in gold, fame, or heroism will respond best to this adventure hook. Be sure to explain the Thal Council and the weight of its authority in the area.

Quest XP: 250xp (minor quest) for finding Orland and listening to what the council has to say.

Hook: The Apple Grows Close to the Tree

Orland, a wise soft-hearted mentor, has asked you to join him for a celebration. He will be celebrating his 204th birthday and to celebrate, Orland want to visit a nearby shrine of Ra-Orn. He begs for assistance since he can not travel their on his own due to the increase of ruffians in the area, giving you the feeling there is more than meets the eye. Orland has sent money for your travels, but asks if you will be able to attend by tomorrow night.

This hook works best with PCs who have good alignments and ties with nature. Be sure to explain the Thal Council and the local shrine being dedicated to Ra-Orn, the nature spirit. What the PCs don't realize is that Orland is actually the head of the Thal Council and tricked them to not raise suspicion.

Quest XP: 250xp (minor quest) for finding Orland and listening to what the council has to say.

Setup

Lore:

The players know the following information about the Thal Council with a successful check.

History DC 5: The Thal Council is the remnants of the government system after the capital moving to Daerum. Due to its proximity to major ports in the area, the Council has been tasked with handling affairs of the coastal cities.

History DC 10: The Thal Council has been established as local government of the coastal cities of Ethir, mandating port regulations, market values, boat inspections, fines, and judiciary duties. The Thal Council has been known as a fair and just council, creating a reputable trade market and ideal living condition for families and elderly tradesman.

History DC 15: Very few cities in the world can lay claim to a council like the Thal. Comprised of three anonymous elves, the Thal delegate decrees and laws for the surrounding territory and coastal ports. This council is handpicked in secret by the current mayor and serve a lifetime in this position. For the last century, the Thal have created and mandated these laws for the betterment of the people and have done so successfully, however some speculate and ridicule the secrecy of the organization, claiming it has created a “hidden hand” approach to the law.The adventure begins before the party leaves the Salty Dog for their summoning.

There are minimal dangers to face, making this encounter worth very little experience. However, it provides the PCs with basic information about the village and sets up the skill challenge that follows.

Scene I

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

The smell of smoked fish and garlic fills the air as you sit at the table. As the crisp sea air breezes through the open window, the smell of the water is a refreshing break from the smell of cooking food, which usually is a curse as the sea spray chills you to the bone. As you finish your drink, you can see that many are drinking a house special of red ale, due to the setting sun rays streaking through their glasses. Like many of the taverns located on the coast, The Salty Dog begins to form into a scene of drunken stupor and boisterous voices as the sun begins to fade behind the horizon.

Valea sits upon a stone bluff overlooking the merchants along the port. Those who live in Valea live on the outskirts, keeping fair distance from the sea port and their seedy company. At the port, it is commonplace to see humans, dwarves, elves, and halflings either taking a break from their duties at sea or are taking advantage of the sailors as they stretch their sea legs, however at this time, the port is closing up. Sailors can be seen walking toward the Salty Dog or are returning to their ship to sleep. They keep to themselves but speak loudly and gruffly, as if though they are sharing their thoughts with the entire tavern. The front door of the tavern is swinging open and close and open again for the occupants of the tavern.

A character enters and seems as if though he has found the wrong place. The elven man is adorned with white robes with gold stitching, with dark skin and hair, clutching a satchel as the burly sailors drunkenly stumble about. It is clear he has other business than drinking. He makes eye contact with each of you individually and motions you over to a table in the corner. Due to the amount of people within the tavern, it takes several minutes to cross to where this dark skinned elf is sitting. Upon closer inspection, you see that his clothing shrouds his muscular frame and his eyes shimmer an electric green. He bears no weapons and seems to be extremely uncomfortable with his surroundings. “Greetings,” he says. “I am Talwisul, a courier sent by Orland.”

The next bit of text depends on which quest is more unifying to the party, either Council Summoning or The Apple Grows Close to the Tree, with dialogue written for those two, respectively.

“The Thal Council has requested your appearance urgently, due to an in-house emergency. The matter is being kept as quietly as possible and requires the utmost caution with who this information is given too. Should you appear, you will need to meet Orland under the bell tower at tomorrow’s eve. The council has agreed to pay for your expenses and accommodations, and have given each of you a deposit in good faith of your appearance. Horses are awaiting you outside should you choose to appear for the council.”

“Orland has asked you to join him for a celebration. He will be celebrating his 204th birthday tomorrow and to celebrate, Orland has decided to visit the Shrine of Ra-Orn, to pay his respects to his healthy life. He begs for assistance since he cannot travel their alone due to the increase of ruffians in the area. Orland has also paid for your travel expenses in advance, with horses waiting for you outside should you choose to celebrate with him.”

Talwisul speaks slowly and calmly. A DC 20 Persuasion check will divulge that he is worried about the Thal Council or Orland, depending on the quest, and will share his anxiety for their safety. He will not answer questions about himself or who sent him otherwise, as he wishes to be gone before the sailors become more lewd. Should they accept, each player will receive 20 gp. If the PCs ask if they refuse, the courier will keep the money and assure them that he has been tasked to deliver a message. If the PCs refuse to go to their summoning or refuse accepting the money, Talwisul will pocket the gold and claim the letter has been delivered. Once the players accept the gold amount, he will leave, rebuffing any further efforts at conversation.

Anyone making a DC 15 Insight check can tell that Talwisul is either relieved they accepted the message or nervous if they do not, but this reaction is normal. Couriers cannot accept final payment if the recipient does not accept the letter. It’s also hardly surprising that a courier would feel out of place in a seaside tavern, surrounded by lower class citizens, but with a successful 20 perception check, the players can discern he is incredibly nervous for another reason.

During Scene 2, Talwisul will gather his horse and ride for the Thal as quick as possible, and then ride to Goldcrest with his next assignment. A DC 10 Perception check after the gold has been accepted will glean the awareness of Glorik Mastbreaker, a pirate dwarf, who has been watching them for quite some time.

Scene II (100 xp)

As soon as the party attempts to leave, Glorik will confront the party, only accepting a fight or gold to successfully pass this encounter.

The Dwarven Sailor:

"Oy...you think you are going to walk away from me when I'm talking to you?" a stout dwarf says. You can see his bandanna that covers his tattooed head as he stands up and folds his arms. "You didn't pay for that! Now...do I have to beat it out of you or are you going to cough it up? I know you just got paid handsomely."

At this point, the entire tavern is quiet. Several of his friends stand up to join him, barring the exit and looking menacing. Glorik cannot be intimidated by a showing of skill, but his friends can be through the use of deception or authority. A successful DC 19 Intimidation check in this manner will render his friends to a DC 12 Wisdom saving throw, either leaving or sitting down on a failure. Glorik can be deceived with a DC 15 Deception check, but will still require a fight or money to leave. The others in the tavern will refuse to take sides, and the bartender will not stand up to the sailors. Players who are able to convince Glorik that he is outnumbered or that his friends do not believe in his accusation will be able to pass this encounter. The checks for these should be difficult due to his low intelligence, but not impossible for those who have no training in the skills required.

If the players choose to pay, he will require the same amount of gold given by the courier combined for all the players +2d4. If the players choose to fight, combat begins. Refer to (Scene Levels) for the battle map.

Tactics:

Once combat has begun, Glorik will attack ferociously, using his first turn to use Sailor’s Rage to break a leg off of a chair to gain access to a club and attack the closest target. Glorik’s friends (See Scene Levels) will attack one of the party that is not engaged using fists. Should a player draw a weapon against an unarmed sailor, they will disengage and flee to find the law.

Features of the Area:

Illumination: Bright light

Terrain features: Any overturned furniture will become difficult terrain. To pass over a five foot area that is difficult terrain (such as a chair or stool), creatures must make a DC 10 Athletics or Acrobatics check. To knock over a fleeing sailor will require a DC 20 Athletics check to push them 10 feet prone.

Treasure: Glorik is carrying 20 gp and possesses a long sword.

Between them, Glorik’s gang members are carrying 60 gp.

Scene 1 Conclusion:

When the scene is concluding, it is revealed Glorik has a tattoo of a large eye on his shoulder and if he is able to speak and conscience, will attempt to find out as much information as possible.

Scene III (150 xp)

Leaving Valea:

This scene is broken into two different scenarios. The first scenario is if the adventurers go to The Thal on their own terms. The second scenario is if the adventurers refuse, choose to escape, or caused the law to arrive at The Salty Dog.

The Toll Collectors of Thal

When the players are ready to continue, describe the following regardless of whether horses or by foot is taken.

The trip from Valea to Thal is a short one, only taking a day's journey to arrive. As you pass through the countryside, the coastal weeds and unkempt grass become shorter and less tangled. Trees begin to grow sporadically until the form small groves and meadows. The ocean smell is left behind as you insects begin to buzz around you if you pause even for a moment. The air his thick with humidity as the sounds of songbirds and other wildlife become more abundantly clear.

The bell tower and town hall can be seen over the trees amassing in the distance, it would seem as if though you will be able to reach arrive in no time. The stench coming from your armor and dust collecting on your boots tell you the rest will be well appreciated.

Setup:

What happens next is up to the players. As the DM narrates the following sequence, players may insist on a check to hide. Two men are walking down the road. This will require a DC 17 Stealth Check, due to the two figures watching the party traveling. Keep whether the rolls were a success or failure a secret and continue with the encounter.

If the entire party hides successfully, the two will continue one, awarding experience equivalent for the two of them. If anyone in the party fails, the two men will stage a conversation about whether one remembered the money for the toll ahead. They will then be attacked with surprise as other members of the Scarlet Eye sneak up on those who failed.

If the party chooses to confront the two men with words, the following will take place:

Upon the path in the distance, two men are approaching you from the road, seeming as if though they are traveling to Valea. As you approach one another, they call out to you.

"Hold traveler! The toll for this road is 10 gold pieces. You'll have to turn back if you can't pay it."

Then it is up to the players to pay or not to pay. The two can not be persuaded to ignore the toll and if questioned about the reason, will respond with threats and violence, possibly charging more for things such as horses, races, weapon possession, etc. If the party pays and continues, no experience is given. Choosing to fight will invoke an encounter.

If the party failed a stealth check or refuse to pay, begin the encounter. Refer to Prologue Scene Levels for the battle map of this area.

Tactics:

The two collectors will use a whistle to alert those who are hiding to come out of hiding (DC 25 to spot). They will then draw their weapons, attacking the party as a distraction. The remaining attackers (See Prologue Scene Levels) will fire from their hiding spots and surround the players (1st playthrough lycanthrope clan). These enemies would rather die than be captured, hoping to contain their purpose, but will flee if they are over run. If captured, they will drink a poison to kill themselves, hiding the information.

Features of the Area:

Illumination: Bright on the road, dim if within the shadows of the trees.

Terrain Features: Flat dust and dirt on the road, dense foliage off the path requires a DC 12 Athletics or Acrobatics to pass through 5 feet.

Treasure: 70 gold dispersed among them. Each have a Scarlet Eye symbol either tattooed or carried with them.

Conclusion:

Whether the toll collectors are avoided or attacked, the path to the Thal is now clear. Upon investigation of the bodies, the players will find a symbol much like Glorik had with a labeling of "Scarlet Eye" below it. It is unclear as to what this could mean, but if citizens in the Thal are questioned about it, they will claim them to be mercenaries for hire but not a bandit group. Be sure to show the players IMAGE#1 for memories sake (The Scarlet Eye is a group hired by Magnus to stop the travelers.)

Tough Dogs

Setup:

When the players travel in a direction other than to Thal or if the law has been summoned during the previous scene, they are stopped by a group of 20 guards with a carriage. As they surround you, one of the guards reads a decree that you are to be arrested for your crimes against Orland, including counts of arson, burglary, blackmail, and vandalism. If the players explain their purpose for violence in The Salty Dog and pass a DC 8 Persuasion, the guards will forgo the charges of violence, but will insist you to join them, even explaining to the PCs that they have been sent by Orland due to him being in grave danger. If the party is able to talk their way out of the imprisonment, the guards will follow behind the PCs until they know they will go to Valea, allowing them to continue their journey.

If the party refuses, the guards will use force, sparking combat. The PCs will either escape or be captured. If captured, skip to Act I Scene I where they are being unloaded from the wagon.

Should the PCs escape this obligation by killing all the guards or escaping in some way, skip to Act I Scene III.

Experience Total

Finding Orland (250 xp)

The Salty Dog (100 xp)

The Road to Thal (150 xp)

Encounter experience (≈1,000 xp)

Glorik Mastbreaker (≈100 xp)

The Thal Toll Collectors (≈900 xp)

Previous XP amount: 100,000 xp
Prologue XP total: 1,250 xp

Total XP Progression: 101,250
Current Level: 12
Act Loot: 150 gp total + 20 gp per player

NPCs and Organizations

Orland Earcoro: Oldest member of the Thal Council, Orland holds the greater good as his ideal, no matter what it may take. He tends to overlook social rules and edicate, with Intelligence being his high score and Strength being his low score. During the Thal Council Meeting, he holds the majority of information about history, Magnus, the Time of Chaos. Regardless of how the PCs are towards them, he believes they are able to complete the mission. (Orland Stat Block)

Talwisul Windwalker: Courier for the Thal Council. Contrary to what his name suggest, Talwisul speaks slowly and delibrately, holding a neutral status on most subjects. If given the innocent opportunity, Talwisul will swipe a few coins profit, but never at the expense of someone else. His high score is Dexterity and low score is Intelligence. (Talwisul Stat Block)

Glorik Mastbreaker: Hired sailor of the Haunted Windchime, Glorik works as a trader for the Western Ethir Trading company as a grunt, but also works for the Scarlet Eye as smuggler and fence. Glorik enjoys the sea but hates the work, causing him to only enjoy his time on land if he doesn't have rules to follow. High score is Strength and low score is Wisdom and Dexterity. (Glorik Stat Block)

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.

The Thal Council: Refered to as the Thal, governmental structure for Thal and the surrounding port communities.

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