Formoria: Adventure Anthology · p.30 · formoria · 3p
Open source p.30Adventure Text
ROOM KEY
The keyword descriptions at the
start of each location are safe to
share with players.
BACKGROUND
A cutthroat group of bandits has
conspired to perform a profane
ritual to extend their natural lifespan
through human sacrifice atop
Alberic Hill. The Ardaran Hill tribes
are aware of the cabal and have
united to stop the ritual, but they
need allies to put the bandits to the
sword.
FACTIONS
Named NPCs have the same stats as
their faction members with
levels
Tribal Alliance
The Andrenini, Ollocni, and Vocorii
are the local Hill tribes; it falls to
them to rectify the issue. They have
elected Anselda “One Eye” to lead
the war party (Northman Warriors F
Core pg 165). Her plan is direct and
brutal: ascend the hill using the
switchbacks on the eastern side, put
the cabal to the sword.
Anselda is a rogue shard of Ancient
Amalina (secret) that has been
accepted by and grown fond of the
Andaran Hill tribes. She ascends the
hill with the goal of slaying both
Aethelhid and Asrith.
Daughter’s Due
Bandits (SD Core pg 197) under the
sway of Kain, led by Aethelhild
“Moon Child,” a rising star among
the local highwaymen. She has
seeded the hill with bandits and
Zombies (SD Core pg 265) to prevent
the hill folk and heroes from
interrupting Asrith’s ritual.
Aethelhild is a shard of Ancient
Amalina committed to seeing the
ritual completed
Asrith “The Hollow” is the dominant
shard of Ancient Amalina; she is
coordinating the ritual at the hill
summit.
Ancient Amalina
Asrith, Aethelhild, and Anselda are
aspects of the Vaadmoori warlock
Amalina seeded in the Ardaran Hills
shortly after the fall of Vaddmoor.
The ritual has fallen under the gaze
of Baal, Gorgache, and Kain. Should
she succeed, her aspects will unite,
empowered by these three dark
forces.
STORY HOOKS/RUMORS ()
1.
A rival Gorgache cult contracts the players to disrupt the ritual in the hopes
of weakening the Ancient Amalina. “Our patron spreads his bounty too
wide and the ‘Ancient One' aims beyond herself.”
2.
The PCs encounter a minor noble from the local area who is aware of the
ritual; his wife was slain during the latest Daughter’s Due raid. He wants
revenge and will pay handsomely; all of the stolen treasure is free for the
taking, except for his mithral locket.
3.
The players encounter the remains of a caravan recently ransacked by the
Daughter’s Due bandits led by Aethelhild “Moon Child”; success on a DC 9
intelligence check will lead the players to Alberic Hill.
4.
Along the road, the players encounter a bandit; they will -p the players off
to a big job happening at Alberic Hill for coin and the promise of a cut of
what they find.
No extracted maps for this adventure — the map is in the source book: Open source p.30
Rooms (9)
1 Hill Entrance p.30
Dead grass carpets the approach to
the hill, in stark contrast to the
surrounding area.
There is a clash occurring between
Bandits and Tribal
Warriors. A normal difficulty (DC 12)
climbing check can be made to the
Bench Overlook around the Hill
Entrance and Switchback loop.
2 Switchback Loop p.30
From below, the switchback loop
coils up the slope like a deliberate
scar, each turn reflecting the same
stretch of ground but slightly wrong,
as if the land is repeating itself from
memory.
Corpses. The corpses of bandits and
tribal warriors litter the ground. Roll
for the number of Zombies that
emerge.
3 Bench Overlook p.30
The bench sits at the overlook,
angled so the lower switchbacks line
up in a neat, repeating pattern that
hurts to stare at for too long.
4 Sacrificial Pillars p.30
(A)
Ruined white Menhirs jut from the
mass of the hill, each one is adorned
with the remains of a sacrificial
victim.
If players used the tribal route,
ORDER OF BATTLE
The Ritual. Upon the party’s arrival
at Alberic Hill, the shadow effect
takes place, cloaking the hill in
unnatural darkness. Asrith is no
fool; she would have completed her
portion of the ritual before her
other aspects' arrival.
Shadow. Combatants eliminated
after the completion of the
Gorgache portion of the ritual have
a 50/50 chance of becoming a
Shadow (SD Core 250)
Shifting Lunar Phases. The moon
rushes through phases far faster
than naturally possible. Roll on the
table below each -me a PC looks up
into the night sky.
Dissension in the ranks. Otker, the
second-in-command of the
Daughter’s Due, demands an
explanation from Aethelhid. He will
argue that they didn’t sign up for
the moon going crazy and (if
triggered) red bloody mist.
Aethelhid will be dismissive of his
concerns and insult his bravery and
commitment to the job.
Lunar Phases
1.
Blood Red Full Moon
2.
First Quarter Moon
3.
Waning Cresent
4.
Waxing Cresent
5.
Third Quarter Moon
6.
New Moon
hostages are -ed to each pillar,
surrounded by Bandits.
Alternative routes result in fresh
corpses adorning each pillar.
5 Pillar Path p.30
The remains of old menhirs litter the
dead grass of the clearing. In the
distance, a path down the hillside is
visible.
The Bandits used this route under
the cover of shadow and the
shattered on the ruins. Bandits
are present to cover their exit. They
are debating whether to leave with
their lives and will not fight unless
given a reason.
6 Sacrificial Pillars p.30
(B)
Struggling hostages are fastened to
equidistant white menhirs; their
bodies are adorned with A crescent
moon crudely carved into the dirty
white menhir.
Aethelhid is present with her main
contingent of Bandits (); she
must die via a betrayal for the Kain
portion of the ritual to be successful.
If Kain Approves, the Moon settles
on a “Ring of Fire Eclipse” with a
half-bright red dot at its center.
Asrith’s Will. Shadows will rise
from the ground to slay the bandits.
Otker is given a choice: kill Aethelhid
to save himself or die.
Kain’s Gaze. The party whirls with
repulsive energies, drawing the
hostility and attacks of all enemies
who can see you for the next
rounds.
7 Outer Shrine Path p.30
The Outer Shrine Path breaks into
two stairways, separated by a bare
clearing.
Zombies () stand sentinel; their
proximity to the ritual has changed
them. Roll on the monster
mutations table (SD Core pg 191).
Ritual Crescendo. A great wail
erupts from Area 8. Asrith is
continuing with the ritual, regardless
of the results of the two lesser
aspects.
8 Inner Shrine p.30
The ground of the hill summit
trembles beneath the feet of the
adventurers. This is the nexus of the
arcane power sustaining the ritual;
sparks of electricity crisscross the air.
Charred skeletons are chained to
sacrificial menhirs. At the center of
all of this stands Amalina.
Thrice Damned or Crowned. If both
lesser aspects are slain successfully,
Amalina will be thrice blessed by
the dark gods. If any of the aspects
are alive, Amalina will be thrice
damned. Use the appropriate stat
block below.
Amalina “The Thrice
crowned”
(Archmage SD Core pg 197): Cloaked
in the majesty of three gods stands
“The Trice Crowned”. She thanks the
players for their participation; “for
no great endeavor should go
unopposed.” She will return to
Vaadmoor, she will raise a mighty
host, she will rule; will the player
kneel or die?
Amalina “The Trice
damned”
(Void Spawn SD Core pg 241): There
are a few creeds that accept failure;
none of the dark gods of this world
are among them. Amalina wears her
failure in flesh, but her mind is still
whole. She will return to Vaadmoor,
she will raise a mighty host, she will
rule; the players will die.
9 Shrine Alcove p.30
A shrine alcove lies open behind the
pillars, its stone shelves heavy with
the ill-gotten gains of the bandits.
The treasure includes;
•
A Mithral locket with a painting
of a noble woman.
•
magic weapon (benefit)
•
Two lustrous pearls (40 gp each)
•
1 cracked emerald (60 gp)