Act One: The Merchant Cart
DH QS · p.29
Open source p.29the merchant cart
ACT ONE
The Beginning
Read the following aloud to your players:
This evening, your party finally made it to the Sablewood, a sprawling forest of colossal trees some say are even older than the Forgotten Gods. It’s a place renowned for two things—its sunken pathways that provide the trade routes for many traveling merchants, and its unique hybrid animals. Even now, from within your carriage, you can hear strange sounds: the low calls of the lark-moths, the croak of the lemur-toads, the scittering of a family of fox-bats in the underbrush. One of you is driving the carriage. Who is it?
When a player volunteers their character as the carriage driver, you can ask them a question like:
You’ve noticed something unique about the look of trees here in the Sablewood. What is it?
Describe the trees the party passes, specifically including details from their answer. This is utilizing one of the GM Principles in Daggerheart, “Ask Questions and Incorporate the Answers.” Then, read the following aloud:
As your steeds pull the carriage around a tight corner, one wheel coming off the ground for just a moment, you see an overturned merchant’s cart laying sideways in the path before you, blocking your way. A scattering of fruits and vegetables litter the trail. From around the side of the carriage steps a strixwolf; a large creature with the body of a wolf, the face of an owl, and large wings adorning its back. It finishes chewing its meal, the hand of the dead merchant, as it stares at you, curious, trying to judge whether you’re friend or foe. Then you see, following clumsily behind, two small pups watching their mother cautiously. From within, the rest of you feel your carriage come to a stop. What would you like to do?
Allow the PCs to roleplay for a little bit if they’d like. When somebody approaches the merchant cart, that will trigger the first action roll.
The First Action Roll
Read the following aloud:
The strixwolf is wary of your movement. Let’s make our first roll to see how she reacts! This will be using your Presence trait, so grab your Duality Dice and roll them, then add your Presence. You can also spend a Hope before the roll to add an Experience, if it applies. Then tell me the total and which die rolled higher!
SUCCESS
If they rolled a 10 or higher, it is a success! Describe the strixwolf calmly trying to keep her pups out of danger. If the roll was with Hope, tell the player to gain a Hope. If the roll was with Fear, gain a Fear. This is also your chance to introduce a consequence to the scene. It should not undermine the success, but rather forward the narrative in an exciting way. You might say:
The mother hoot-howls, as if calling to another strixwolf among the trees. You know you might not be alone for long.
FAILURE
If they rolled a 9 or below, it is a failure. Describe the strixwolf snarling and snapping, angry that the PC is approaching. If the roll was with Hope, tell the player to gain a Hope. You still get to make a GM move, but because it’s with Hope, it shouldn’t be as bad as it could be. You might say:
With one last snarl, she leans down to have her pups clamber onto her back before taking off into the air, landing on a nearby branch. She is watching your every move.
If the roll was with Fear, things go badly. Gain a Fear and describe the strixwolf snarling at the PC, causing them to mark a Stress.
CRITICAL SUCCESS
If both dice roll the same number, it’s a critical success! Tell the PC to mark a Hope. They can also clear a Stress, if they have one. Then, describe the strixwolf moving towards the PC, head down, tail wagging. It sits in front of them.
No extracted maps for this adventure — the map is in the source book: Open source p.29