Three bandits accost a merchant. No guards are to be found. As the battle ensues, five skeletons attack.
Scenes
Secret and Clues
Two gangs are in a cold war in Dulwich – the Shadow Spiders and the Black Cats
The most powerful (and violent) of Dulwich’s gangs is the Shadow Spiders. Most of the other smaller gangs pay a proportion of their take to the Shadow Spiders to avoid bloodshed.
The Black Cats are much more elusive – likely smaller – and tend to give generously to those in need, stealing from the rich. Very little is known about them.
Skeletons have begun arising from the local cemetery.
Pelor’s Hall is the local temple. Well maintained and loved by many. The temple is undergoing another bout of renovation and expansion thanks to generous donations from its increasing rich followers.
Less than a year ago, the beloved and respected high priest, Taistro Rintala, died unexpectedly, some believe because of foul play or by a sickness.
Vuokko Laiten (LN female human priest of Pelor) leads Conn’s faithful in Dulwich. While proficient and capable, Vuokko suffers from being the pawn between two opposing political parties—the nobles and merchants.
The Shadowed Keep stands at the end of an overgrown trail upon a wooded bluff overlooking a steep-sided valley.
Beyond the Shadowed Keep, several other locations of interest lie in the woodland.
DC 10: Originally named Ironwolf Keep, the abandoned fortress is now known as the Shadowed Keep on the Borderland or Valentin’s Folly.
DC 15: Valentin Ironwolf was a skilled warrior-adventurer who built the place forty years ago. Valentin’s enemies—the goblins and orcs of the surrounding woodlands—slew him, his family and retainers at the climax of a years-long, savage conflict.
DC 20: Valentin was a successful adventurer and was rumoured to have hidden his treasure at the keep.
Forty years ago the famed adventurer Valentin Ironwolf sought a place to make his home. Retirement was not in Valentin’s heart, but the wanderlust of his youth had long since died; he now sought a corner of the world to call his own. Along with his wife, Kaarina, his young son, Einar, and his faithful retainers he claimed the site upon which now stands the Shadowed Keep.
On a moonless night, when Valentin sat deep in his cups surrounded by his dwindling band of retainers, goblin scouts scaled the keep’s once well-guarded walls. Soundlessly slaying Valentin’s few remaining guards they opened the gates to admit the Severed Hand’s blood-crazed berserkers. Bloody slaughter engulfed the keep. Surprised and hopeless outnumbered most of the defenders died before they even realised their enemies were within the walls. A few gathered in the Great Hall about their liege to make their final stand, but once the tide of violence receded all lay stark amid the blood and gore of Valentin’s shattered dream.
With their mutual enemy slain, the orcs and goblins swiftly fell to arguing among themselves. Violence quickly (and inevitably) ensued. Where man had struggled against goblin and orc, now goblin fought orc. When this new fresh wave of violence subsided, the Goblins of the Blood Moon stood triumphant over the hacked and bloody corpses of their enemies. But the goblins’ victory was a hollow one; with most of their warriors slain, their power in the region was broken. Hounded by other enemies a few months later the Blood Moon’s survivors retreated to the now ruined keep to hide and rebuild their shattered strength.
Bandits lurk in the ruins; led by a vicious she-devil they rob and murder those using the nearby roads. Ex-soldiers and thieves make up their ranks.
Goblins lurk in the ruins, claiming the cellars below the 10-14 place as their realm. Not as numerous as they once were, the goblins still pose a threat to travellers and adventurers alike.
Two levels of cellars lie below the keep. The sole survivor of a previous expedition also spoke of an even deeper network of natural caverns.
A chapel lies below the keep; undead and other guardians may lurk within.
A ghost lurks in the donjon—the pitiful remnant of one of those who died during the keep’s fall.
1881cp, 1287sp, 45gp (192gp); Black velvet mask stitched with silver thread (25gp), Copper chalice with silver filigree (25gp), Copper chalice with silver filigree (25gp), Copper chalice with silver filigree (25gp), Small gold bracelet (25gp) 125gp; Armor, +1 chain shirt (rare armor) that casts Feather Fall once per day.
Session Notes
Write down notes as things progress during the game.
