0103 The Golden Goose

A vastness containing nothing but carpets of red, orange, and ochre moss. The wind howls.

• Terrain: Bog (3), Northern Scratch
• Lost/encounters: 2-in-6

Sidney’s Company

Roaming the featureless bogland is a small band of humans, miserable but determined.

Members: Sidney Tew, 4 minor nobles, and 4 ruffians (Level 1 thieves— DMB) on the hunt for a “golden goose that lays golden eggs.”

The hunt: Two weeks ago, a scavenger from Fort Vulgar sighted a “golden goose” here and found one of its golden eggs. He sold his egg and story to Sidney Tew, whose gang of second-son minor nobles and hangers-on headed out to find it before anyone else. The party is now (unknowingly) only a day away from discovering Crocus’s Cave.

Approaching: Sidney is suspicious but outwardly welcoming. He cannot help but brag about his search and shows the golden egg to those who doubt his claims.

Crocus’s Cave (Hidden)

A large but obscured opening in the moss carpet leads downward into a sodden, high-ceilinged stone cave, filled with piles of reeds, bones, and shiny objects.

Inhabitants: The monstrous Crocus lies in wait here. She is accompanied by the Golden Goose, who is bound by a silver chain (100gp) and gagged with a cloth.

Treasure hoard: Amongst a collection of broken glass, polished metal, and worthless trinkets is 673cp, 432sp, 925gp, four golden eggs, and a pewter Talisman of Non-De tection (p398) shaped like a bisected eye.

Sidney Tew

A handsome human man in his 30s, with dashing blonde hair and sharp eyes, hailing originally from Prigwort. Dresses like a travelling noble, though his clothes are well-worn. Introduces himself as a cousin of the Lady Harrowmoor (p60)—this is true, though he is only a third cousin, once removed.

Demeanour (Neutral): Friendly and charming, but always looking for an angle. Will use a person, then feel bad about it to feel better about it.

Speech: Feigned noble affect. Woldish, Old Woldish.

Desires: To find the golden goose. To assume a place of proper nobility and be recognised as a man of worth. He has engaged in innumerable failed schemes to do so, this goose venture being only the latest. If he survives, he will soon attempt another.

Rewards: Promises a future payment in golden eggs in exchange for the PCs’ assistance in obtaining the goose.

Possessions: A silver longsword engraved with the Tew name (110gp).

Combat stats: Level 3 fighter (DMB).

Crocus

A 10′ tall ogre-like fairy. She has no skin, just exposed muscle and patches of scab-like scales. Her lipless mouth is set in a permanent smile. Her fingers are tipped by teeth instead of nails. Until recently, avoiding her betrayed mistress Thorn-Rosy (p32) was her highest priority. Having finally grown too bored of hiding in a cave and eating wildlife, she now deliberately allows travellers to sight the goose, attracting greedy mortals to feed upon.

Demeanour (Chaotic): Crude and brutish.

Speech: Guttural growls and grunts. Basic Woldish, Sylvan.

Desires: To feed and be amused, to avoid the wrath of Thorn-Rosy, and to be surrounded by shiny things.

Combat stats: Ogre (DMB). As a fairy, suffers 1 extra point of damage when hit with cold iron weapons.

The Golden Goose

An immortal goose with golden plumage. If its gag is removed, it repeatedly honks “Mother Rosy.” It is otherwise unable to speak.

Golden eggs: Every 1d4 days, it lays a golden egg worth 40gp that induces a subtle, covetous feeling in those who see it. After 4d6 days, the egg collapses into dust.

History: The Golden Goose was once the prized possession of the fairy noble, the Hag Thorn-Rosy (p32), until her servitor Crocus stole it and fled to the mortal world. Thorn-Rosy bestows a significant reward upon whomever returns it, just as she would severely punish whomever keeps it from her.