1403 Odd and the War of the Sprites

Trees festooned with dainty, glowing flowers of ochre, lilac, and mauve.

• Terrain: Tangled forest (3), Aldweald
• Lost/encounters: 2-in-6

The Village of Odd

A small cluster of thatched huts and animal pens nestled in a glade, a low grassy knoll at its centre. Some 90 folk dwell here, under the domain of House Guillefer (see hex 1304).

Fur and game: Odd is renowned for the fine furs and rare game sold by its rustic inhabitants.

Full settlement description: See p166.

Along Lochsbreth Road

Sprites: Adventurers travelling Lochsbreth Road are approached by 1d4+2 black sprites (DMB), who identify themselves as members of the Grand Gupple tribe. They urge PCs to follow them to their tree (see Sprite Lairs) to hear out a “business proposal” (see The War of the Sprites).

Slumbering Bridge: A track diverges and leads to the Hall of Sleep (1304), crossing Kewen’s Creek at an old, creaky bridge overhung by sighing willows.

Along Follyegg Road

Anyone travelling the little-used Follyegg Road is met by 1d4+2 blue sprites (DMB), who identify themselves as members of the Timeless Twook tribe. They beg the PCs for aid in a “dire situation” (see The War of the Sprites) and ask them to follow them to their tree (see Sprite Lairs).

Sprite Lairs

The Grand Gupple Tree: PCs who follow the black sprites arrive at the base of an exceptionally broad black poplar tree. Minuscule huts festoon its branches. 80 black sprites live here, lounging among the huts. They are a plain-spoken, assertive lot.

The Timeless Twook Tree: PCs who follow the blue sprites come upon a tall, blue poplar tree. Homes made from floating puffball fungi cling to its upper reaches. 70 blue sprites dally among the puffballs. Their demeanour is dreamy but vaguely sinister.

The War of the Sprites

The two sprite tribes claim to have been at war for as long as they can recall (in reality, it has only been three weeks).

Grievances: Each tribe complains about the Indignities and Insults visited upon them by their enemies (see table).

Enlistment and reward: The sprites entreat PCs to dispatch the opposite tribe once and for all, directing them to the enemy’s lair. They offer the first listed Fantastical Treasure as reward, but refuse to produce it until the party returns with proof of their conquest.

Counteroffer: A party arriving at the opposing tribe’s tree is met with protestations of innocence. This tribe claims that the other tribe is really at fault, likewise complaining of their abuse by their enemies (roll again on the Indigni ties and Insults table). They in turn offer the next Fantas

Indignities and Insults

The other tribe… (roll 1d6 on the table below).

d6 Accusation 1 Pelted them with foul dung! 2 Delivered bold lies about them to their neighbours! 3 Mocked their queen’s dignity by making her belch! 4 Caused a small thundercloud to rain upon them! 5 Stole away with a mortal child in their care! 6 Insulted their mostly adequate endowments!

Fantastical Treasures

# Treasure 1 The ancestral sword of a deorling stag! 2 The ruby earrings of The Hag of Hag’s Addle (p82)! 3 The knuckle-bone of St Lowery! 4 The silver mirror of the Queen of Witches (p75)! 5 A Ring of Invisibility once owned by an elf courtier! 6 The fabled black sword Rainmaker! 7 The crown of an old king of Brackenwold! 8 The sceptre of the Cold Prince (p51)!

tical Treasure on the list if the adventurers return to their enemies and dispatch them, instead.

Back and forth: This pattern repeats with each encounter, the promised rewards growing more fantastic as counteroffer after counteroffer is deployed.

Defeating a tribe: Each tribe defends its lair to the death; each sprite killed performs exaggerated death throes and vanishes. The conquered lair has no treasure. PCs returning to the tree of their patrons to claim their prize find it to have completely disappeared and hear a faint tittering in the breeze. Later, they spot members of both tribes, alive and well, fluttering above and taunting them.