Raid on the Royal Nest

Raid on the Royal Nest

A sacred prophecy is realized and a hatchery comes under siege in this LEVEL 4 adventure.

What’s Going On?

• A Birdfolk prophecy tells of a magical golden egg laid in the Royal Griffon Nests every century. The Snakemen believe eating it grants demigodhood.
• The egg has just been laid, and the hatchery is under siege by Snakemen wielding instruments called Frightsticks. The unnerving sound they produce when shaken sends the Griffons into a state of irrational terror, leaving the nest vulnerable and defenseless.
• Charleton, the noble griffon lord, and his entourage have been sent by the Birdfolk guards to bring heroes capable of lending aid in protecting the nest.

Quest Hooks

• The Golden Company. Defacto security force in the valley, are asked by the Birdfolk to provide assistance in defending their hatchery. Rendezvous with a griffon pack at the landing zone to organize the defense.
• The Explorer’s Guild. Waylay the heroes chosen by the Golden Company and arrange for you to be at the pickup spot to represent the Guild instead.
• The Tower. Heard of the magical properties of the egg, bribed the Golden Company and the Guild to allow their own representatives to aid the Birdfolk instead (and secretly bring back info on the egg to them).

Beginning the Quest

• Charleton’s Arrival. The sound of powerful wing-beats fills the air. Charleton, noble griffon lord, lands with his entourage. "Heroes of the realm, we are in dire need! Vile Snakemen are upon us! We must fly swiftly—there is no time to delay!"
• Mounting the Griffons & Flying. DC 13 skill check to successfully mount the griffons. On a failure, describe a minor complication (bitten for 1d6 damage, or take off prematurely and dragged into the air with their foot stuck in the stirrups). Heroes with scales roll with disadvantage. Whoever rides on Charleton gets advantage.

The Story Must Continue! The point of this is not to see IF they can fly to the adventure location—they do. The point is a for a fun narrative encounter. Let them describe how they handle any complications.

• In Need of Aid. Charleton explains what’s going on as they fly to the Royal Hatchery and can answer most questions the heroes have.
• Windstorm. A turbulent storm, each player must describe what they do to pilot successfully and roll a save or skill check to remain mounted or begin falling.

What Do You Do? If someone falls, don’t worry about giving specific options, simply ask what they do. If it sounds reasonable, it works! If it sounds like a longshot, make them roll for it. The goal of this encounter is to encourage creativity, not to kill the heroes—though that could be a real risk if they don’t take the situation seriously.

• Distressed Airship. A caravel with merchant’s flags is flying erratically (they may be in need of aid, or it might be a trap—pirates with false flags). Stopping to help: Steering wheel is jammed! They need a very strong or mechanically inclined person to fix it or they will crash (DC 18 Might or Finesse). Reward: 1,000 gp. This takes time however, so the Birdfolk guards in the Mess Hall are already dead before the party arrives.
• Storm Drake Surprise. Charleton says the quickest way to the Royal Hatchery is through the Tempest Reef, but they risk flying into storm drake territory. Going around is safer but will take longer. Shortcut. Blue Drakes (1/hero) attack. Reward: heroes Gain +10 Initiative for Landing Zone. Go around. A safer path, the Cobra Captain and his minions are already part of the Snakemen attack squad during the Landing Zone.

Adventure Locations

Landing Zone. Snakemen are assaulting the hatchery, Birdfolk guards are defending, clearly losing.

• No amount of cajoling can convince the griffons to get too close or fight. Heroes can fight at range, mounted on a griffon, or leap safely to the ground to engage.
• Snakemen minions 3/hero.
• Once defeated, griffons will drop off any remaining mounted heroes and quickly flee at the sound of a terrible hiss coming from the Foyer. A Cobra Captain joins the fight with more minions (2/hero).

Hatchery Foyer. A royal Birdfolk statue with a spear of lightning. Corridors leading left or right.

• Awful screech and clang of metal to the left—a Griffon trapped in the Royal Stables is struck dead. To the right, Birdfolk in the Mess Hall yell "Protect the Armory at all costs!" Time is of the essence, which way?
• Touching the spear grants the Charged condition, and +1d6 lightning damage on attacks for 1 minute. 1/day.

Mess Hall. Overturned tables and chairs. Rations and silverware all strewn about.

Stables First? If heroes go to the Royal Stables first, Birdfolk guards are dead by the time they arrive, and the Snakemen can be found in the Armory, better equipped. With Medium Armor and attack for 1d6+10 damage instead.

• Snakemen (2/hero) attacking 4 Birdfolk guards. If rescued, the guards (who are losing) will tell the party about the hidden ornate box in the Armory.

Dormitory. A spacious room, dozens of bunks and footlockers for the attendants and guards.

• A gravely injured Birdfolk guard lies here gasping for breath. If healed, he is convinced the party is the heroes of the ground foretold in the prophecy, and will give them the Silver Tapestry after defeating the Lindworm.

Royal Stables. Numerous griffons trapped in pens, under attack by Snakemen (3/hero) and panicking.

Mess Hall First? If the heroes go to the Mess Hall first, only 3 griffons remain. Otherwise 6 griffons remain.

• A lever on the near wall. Action: open all of the griffon pens, freeing them. In their panicking state, they may trample you if released.
• If released: Roll 1d6 for each griffon, on a 1 they knock a random hero Prone before fleeing, otherwise they trample a Snakeman (killing it).

Training Yard. Expansive, open air training ground.

• 2 towers on both sides of the yard. Numerous training rings float mid-air.
• Each tower has saddles, bags of feed, and a weapon rack with spears, slings, and wooden bucklers on it.
• A Birdfolk Knight is guarding a door (to the Armory) from a Giant Cobra (it has 20 HP/hero remaining). She is visibly losing the fight; if saved, she will reward the heroes with a Trainer’s Whistle after defeating the Lindworm.

Armory. Well-stocked.

• Nearly any mundane adventuring equipment and weapons are stocked here.
• DC 16 Examination check, or if informed of it by one of the Birdfolk, reveals a small ornate box with no visible means of opening it. Will open if the word "ascend" is whispered while held. Contains a Wand of Fly.

Vertical Hallway. Cylindrical "hallway" in the floor. Completely open to the ground, miles below.

• Faint sounds of fighting coming from behind Golden doors 60 ft. below (leads to Golden Sun Hatchery).
• Those without flight or some way to safely descend will fall to their death.

Golden Sun Hatchery. Well-appointed, royal nesting grounds. LARGE hole in wall.

• 5 Birdfolk guards and 2 griffons lie dead.
• Heroes arrive just in time to witness an enormous Lindworm swallowing the golden egg, whole.
• The hero with the highest INT knows that the gold shell prevents it from being digesting for a short while.

Golden Egg. Whichever creature holds the egg makes all of their attacks and saves with advantage! Picking up an unheld item is a free action on your turn.

STR/DEX+

Lindworm Lvl 4 Solo, Huge Serpent

Fiercely Jealous. Attacks those nearest the Golden Egg.

Desperate Purge. When crit, Grappled, or Bloodied: regurgitates its most recent meal.

ACTIONS: After each hero’s turn, choose 1:

• Constrict. Move up to 8, attack for 1d6+10, target is Grappled (escape DC 10).
• Squeeze & Spit Acid. Squeeze a Grappled creature for 1d6+10 damage. Move up to 4, attack for 1d6+10 (range 8). On crit: Poisoned until healed.

After defeating the Lindworm, any surviving Snakemen retreat, and the faction that hired the heroes gains favor with the Birdfolk. Loot:

• A Lore check or an NPC can reveal that consuming Lindworm meat gives mortals magic powers (choose or roll any minor Boon, lasts for 1 day). 2d6 portions.
• Optional Rewards. Trainer’s Whistle: Blow and a cohort of Griffon Cavalry will come to your aid. Once. Silver Tapestry: 100 year old tapestry sewn with silver thread. Bears the uncanny likeness of the party, rescuing the golden egg. Worth 3,000 gp.