The Vanishing Caravans

The Vanishing Caravans

A treacherous journey for LEVEL 4 heroes: greed and betrayal in the mountain pass.

What’s Going On?

The Tower seeks to edge out the Golden Company as the trading partner for the Dwarves. They’ve secretly hired mercenaries to harass and delay some trade caravans from the Golden Company. However, the bandits grew greedy, escalating from harassment to theft of trade goods and murder. Now camped in the foothills of the Iceforge Mountains, they hoard their loot. The Golden Company wants answers and justice; The Tower didn’t intend on it going this far and will pay even more to keep their dealings quiet.

Quest Hooks

• A worried villager in Merivale seeks help to find her missing friend Fornin, a caravan leader overdue from a trade run to the Dwarves.
• Golden Company. The Dwarves demand answers about missing shipments. If not resolved, they threaten to seek new trade partners.
• The Tower. Thieves have stolen a signet ring and taken refuge in the mountains. Retrieve it quietly to avoid scandal. They stress secrecy.
• Some unsavory types are overheard talking about easy money to be made in the mountains robbing caravans. They claim they even have permission from some higher ups in Farhope!

Traveling Encounters

• Traveling Dwarf Merchants. Have info to share (with customers). Will tell any common knowledge about the area; very proud of their Human queen. They sell well-made common equipment designed with traditional Dwarven motifs.
• Melting Glacier Face. Dangerously slick, may break apart when touched. DEX save to climb safely (LVL d6 damage on failure), or go the long way around and risk frostbite (STR save or gain a Wound).
• Discarded Bones. Belonged to a large animal, marrow sucked out. A skilled outdoorsman can recognize them as a tell-tale sign of mountain Trolls. An animal lover or Dwarf may recognize these to be bones of an Iron Goat—sturdy creatures, herded by Dwarves for their hides (tough enough to be used as armor) and incredibly nutritious milk.
• Blizzard. Sudden winds stirred up from the peaks. Get creative or make a STR save to avoid taking LVL damage or 1 Wound from exposure.

Note. As always, allow heroes to propose their own ideas (use skills, items, teamwork etc.). Depending on how good/ bad they are, grant advantage/disadvantage on rolls, allow them to succeed automatically, or come up with your own outcomes!

Adventure Locations

The Glacial Crevasse. Through the glacial melt.

• Wagon marks and mule prints in the thawing snow make it easy to track down.
• A wagon lays half-crushed by a large ice chunk.
• If no one is looking out for falling ice, everyone rolls Initiative, lowest roll suffers d10 damage!

Western Camp. Small group of goat hair tents.

• Bandits (1 Bruiser + 2 Bandits/hero) interrogate a captive for info on future caravans (they threaten to submerge them in the glacial river).
• Tent contents: a Dwarven Compass (stolen, belongs to Fornin), furs (worthless). Lots of food (also stolen).

Glacial River. LOUD waterfall of melting ice, 2 spaces wide.

• EXTREMELY cold. Soaks through clothing if walked through or pushed in. –1 speed until dried out.
• STR or WIL save to not shout in pain at the cold, alerting Eastern Camp.

Mule Corral. 6 mules, 1 dead. Obviously malnourished.

• One of the mules seems to be motioning to you (a shapeshifted druid merchant). Willing to heal the heroes if they can clear out the nearby Western Camp. Can offer a temp Boon, heal HP, a Wound, etc.
• Can give info about his friend Fornin being held captive in the bandit Captain’s Tent.

Stolen Caravans. 3 large caravans, laden with goods (grain, lumber, furs, cloth, etc.).

• Marked with insignia of the Golden Company.
• Wheels chocked and chained together. The ground slopes toward the Eastern Camp. Quietly releasing them will take out 1 Assassin hiding in his tent.

Eastern Camp Bandits arguing.

• 1 Bandit/hero (+2 Assassins hiding). "Thorne said we’ll kill em." "No, no, we’re to ransom them!" "Ransom gets messy! We might get double-crossed…"
• Loot. Hidden in a tent: a dwarven hand axe with a troll ivory handle and silver inlay, very well made (belongs to Fornin); may grant advantage on interactions with Dwarves if it is freely given.

Captain’s Tent. Warm, well appointed. Wood stove, a captured Dwarf chained to it (Fornin).

• Legendary encounter: Thorne Quickblade.
• Thorne tries to bribe or recruit the heroes, offering double their reward to join him, bragging about his "connections" and reveals he expected betrayal from The Tower and stole a signet ring as leverage. If refused, he turns hostile.
• Opening Attack. "You should have taken my offer. Now, I’m afraid I’ll have to make this hurt!"
• On Crit. "Oh, did that sting? Good! I want you to remember it."
• Gaining the Upper Hand: "I’m almost starting to feel bad for you—almost."
• Bloodied: "You think this is over? I’m just getting warmed up!"
• Last Stand: "Did you really think I’d fight fair? You have no idea who you’re dealing with!"
• On Death: "You think this ends with me? You’re in deeper than you know… You’ve just made enemies in very high places…"

Aftermath

• Loot. Silver Rapier "Heart Piercer," a well-made crossbow "Stormquill," and a golden signet ring.
• Fornin. The politics is all above his pay grade, he’s eager to finish the job he was paid to do and deliver the caravans. Will let the heroes keep his axe, in exchange for rescuing him, but NOT the compass.
• Conclusion. It is up to the party whom they side with and what information they bring back to Farhope. Freeing Fornin and recovering the caravans earns the heroes the favor of the Iceforge Dwarves. Defeating Thorne paints a target on the heroes backs with the criminal syndicate he was aligned with.

Bandits

Parry: Treat attacks against you that roll 2 as a miss.