The Festival of the Hunt.

D&D Apprentice One-Shot

PLOT ARC:
 Players arrive at a city in the mortal plane of D&D for a yearly hunting festival.
 Need to find a particular “job” on the job boards, as part of the festival.
 Find the Patronus of the job and introduce themselves and the other adventurers that may
be taking the same job.
 Go get kit from the market.
 Go out on the hunt and bring back the prize.
 On the hunt meet a challenge which contradicts the hunt, players must pick what path they
follow.
 Complete the chosen path and return to the city.
 Claim prize form the Patronus if applicable or meet new Patronus who is a rival of the
former for congratulations.
 Go to the pub?

BACKGROUND:
You are a young adventurer of your chosen profession, looking to make their way in the
world whose economy somehow relies on and supports expensive bands of roving heroes… but that
by the by. Today is a special day in your career to becoming a fully-fledged adventurer in your own
right. And by that, I mean you will be able to brag about it to your friends and future benefactors
and thus charge higher prices.

Your road to the Free City of Greyhawk has been comparatively comfortable. You managed to
purchase passage on one of the larger trade flotillas heading to the city for the hunting festival to set
up their own stalls, pop up bars, and not at all hipster-y pop up salons to ensure that “You’re
adventuring beard has the perfect amount of flowers” in it as you have seen on the side of notice
boards hanging from the caravans and boxes neatly packed in the ships hold.

You are sharing the small space available to passengers on one of the larger ships with a handful of
other adventurers all of whom have spent their time either meticulously preparing their equipment
or reading up on the types of hunts the festival will offer. When the flotilla of ships finally arrives
with a jolt on the dock side, you are kindly asked by the captain to either help in the unloading, bear
in mind these are huge wooden vessels laden with goods, or to kindly get the hell off his ship.

The gang plank to terra firma flexes and creeks as you walk along its narrow beam to the dock side.
The sound of water lapping against the side of the ship and the dock wall lays behind you while the
endless bustle of the dock side fills your ears. The smell of salt and cool air that have accompanied
you these past weeks is replaced with the smells of a populace city; roasting meats, brewing ale,
sweets being baked en-mass for the new arrivals, bread by the cart load, cheeses from all corners of
the city’s influence, and the unmistakable smells of workshops.
All along the thoroughfare to the central plaza there are workshops, bloody ‘fousands of em’, all
producing or repairing wares for the arriving adventures. Blacksmiths, Armourers, and
Weaponsmiths churning out blades, throwing spears, arrow heads, and armour to suit every need.
Leatherworkers to produce the quivers, bags, belts, boots, water flasks, and specialist armours for
the new arrivals. General goods stores supplying every adventuring piece of equipment not supplied
by their specialist competitors.
And all of them, interspersed with smaller shops selling souvenirs, small magical items, foods, drinks,
or offering services such as blade sharpening or fletching. These are the liveliest streets you have
ever experienced, their earth and flagstone roads are never silent, their walls and building adorned
with banners and posters and advertisements, the sky’s filled with birds, winged familiars,
Aarakocra, and brightly coloured fabrics hung from shop windows are crisscrossing the streets
bellow. When the sun shines down these streets and through the silken fabrics aloft, your world is
transformed into one of rainbow lights, soft shadows, and a warm breeze.

You see people walking up and down the market streets eating stall bought food and ducking into
shops to sample and purchase their wares. Up ahead of you, the majority of the crowd are funnelling
into the expansive plaza just east of the dock and merchant district.
What do you do?

LAY OF THE LAND: (FROM THE CENTRAL PLAZA)

 North there lies the upper district and the main palace for the regent of this city. Many of
the more well-known guilds in the area have their guild halls in the upper district although
passage is strictly limited to residence and guild members, or those with royal degree.
 East you find the middle district where the vast majority of the population live with small
shops and workshops to service immediate needs of the people. Cobblers, Cordwainers,
Carpenters, small Blacksmiths and Bakehouses, Food Vendors etc. Why would you build a
Carpenters workshop further from your customers than you have to? It would just mean you
had to carry that newly made cabinet a hell of a long way.
 South lies yet more of the middle district residences and the militia barracks as this is where
the main gate to the city rises from the curtain walls. Here you will find many weaponsmiths
and armourers dedicated to outfitting the militia and their horses.
 West is where you have entered the city via the Dock and Merchant districts situated close
to the waters edge to facilitate trade. Although the main gates to the South are technically
the entry way to the city, the Docks are truly the lifeblood of the region. Here you will find
lots of shops and Merchants, you will also find the District Guildhalls of the Merchants who
see sense in having a hall near the largest region of commerce in the city while having their
more politically entwined Guildhall in the upper district.

LAY OF THE LAND: (IN THE CENTRAL PLAZA)

 The Central Plaza forms the beating heart of the city where almost all of the wealthy
Taverns, Inns, and Public Houses are situated. Here is where you will most likely find a bed
for the night, a job for the morning, or if you insult the wrong man a fight for the evening’s
entertainment.
 In the centre of the Plaza there is a fountain with fresh drinking water around which you will
always find people sitting, eating, talking, playing various games, or reading.
 Around the edges of the Plaza, and often in front of, or sponsored by, the nearby Taverns,
you see notice boards with sheaves of paper pinned to their facing. As this is the Festival of
the Hunt, the boards are more adorned than ever.
THE HISTORY OF THE HUNT:
The Festival of the Hunt is a long-standing tradition in the Free City of Greyhawk. Upon
winning their freedom in a fierce conflict with the old tyrannical regency, or so the story goes, the
Guild-masters of Greyhawk aspired to bring the best adventurers from the lands around to a training
festival to show their worth. Those among the attendees who made a name for themselves would
gain the favour of the Guildhalls and Guild-masters and the promise of greater connections,
affiliations, contracts, and riches.

Scholars have debated about the original purpose of the Festival of the Hunt, some argue that the
Guild-masters began the festival to rid the lands of feral beasts, banditry, and foul magic, as a way of
keeping their lands safe for tits inhabitants. Others argue that it was an effort to bring the strongest
warriors from the lands around into the city and entice them into service to the Guild-masters, thus
creating a standing army almost over night to fend off rebellions attempting to reinstate the
regency.

Whatever the initial intent, the Festival of the Hunt has become an eagerly anticipated contest of
arms among the hardiest of adventurers. Beginning in a slow culminating of traders, adventurers,
visitors, and Nobel’s, the numbers within the Free City of Greyhawk swell until the first day of the
Hunt.
All assembled adventurers must then seek out contracts, odd jobs, and quests befitting their skills
and thus present themselves to the Patrons of such contracts. Whereupon the adventurer will
embark upon their chosen journey to gain renown and prestige among the various city Patrons.
The Festival concludes in one week, with a final contest of arms for those who are willing in the
Greyhawk area to the east of the City. With much joy and celebration, the festival is called to a close
and each Patron must select their Champion to be showered with praise and gifts. All other
contestants will be modestly rewarded for their efforts by their chose Patron or any Patron whose
eye they happen to catch with their exploits.

The Notice Board:

Notice boards are dotted around the city but for the purposes of speed, they will all hold the same
information as the Guild-masters and other Patrons have astutely sent heralds and messengers to
ensure that their personal contracts are posted on every notice board.

1. The Siege Quest:

There is a trading post on the old forest road that has been sending back reports of goblin
sightings and tracks, in single file to hide their numbers, but is still clearly a sizable host
roaming the woods.
The trading post has ceased to send caravans of good to the Free City of Greyhawk causing
many of the woodsmen and their families, who relied on the caravans, to leave their homes
or risk falling into poverty.
Your Patron asks you to go and investigate the trading post and the surrounding lands to find
out exactly what is going on and to make the preparations necessary to re-establish trade,
and the livelihoods of those residing in the trading post.

2. The Kill Quest:

There have been murmurs of a beast roaming the wilderness to the south of the Free City of
Greyhawk. It terrorises people on the road yet takes no prize, simply kill, feast, and leave.
Clearly it is something beastile that must be hunted down.
 (DM’s note; the creature will be in pain of some sort, or defending its territory/children, it is
up to the Player to decide whether to fulfil the quest and kill the beast. Or, to investigate
more and attempt to heal it.)

3. The Raid Quest:

There are a group of cultists in an abandoned outpost to the east of the Free City of
Greyhawk who are beginning to terrorise the local villages to the point of abducting people
who stray too near.
You are tasked with gathering a band of adventurers to perform a raid on the outpost,
identify their intent, silence the leader, and disperse the followers. Destruction of the
outpost is permissible as long as it results in the demise of the cultist.
(DM’s note; This “cult” could be a rival religious sect who has a view outside of the native
doctrine. The NPC who will accompany the Players can be a Cleric of the native doctrine who
is duty bound to destroy the cult. The abducted villagers are simply propaganda by the
Temple to alienate the members. The player must then decide who’s side to believe and
who’s side to act upon. Either killing the Cleric [Who will attempt to kill the party] or kill the
Cult Leader.)

4. The Exorcism Quest:

A town has been completely abandoned on the edge of the wester marshes with no reports
as to why. No word of raids or exodus, no word at all.
It is your task to entre the village and find out why it has been deserted
(DM’s note; Describe the clouds as grey and the sun as low, add rain if it helps sell the effect.
The town has been infected with a plague and the dead litter the street half buried. Nothing
moves until the party is well within the walls of the settlement and exploring the buildings.
Upon a significant moment have a corpse move, it is a zombie which animates and attacks
the party, as the party fights on more zombies rise. Insert either, a win condition which has
to be reached as the Zombies will just keep coming, killing the head priest who inadvertently
became a Lich through unchecked study. Or, a finite amount of Zombies who rise, prompting
the party to stealthily pick their way around the settlement to find a way to burn it to the
ground, each failed stealth check results in more Zombies.)

The Siege:
The Notice instructs you to seek out your Patron, the “Master of Trade”, in their trading pavilion at
the Dock.

The Patronus:
Having arrived at the pavilion, consisting of a large walled courtyard in which sits a silken tent of
resplendent colour and finery, you enter to introduce yourself to the Master of Trade who sits in a
curule chair themselves adorned with jewellery, silks, satin slippers of the deepest purple, and hand
servants for every need. They sit behind a large oaken table littered with quills, parchment, and
maps festooned with tiny figurines and flags as if planning for war. Around the tented pavilion you
see chests, barrels, benches, tapestries, and weaponry hanging from the walls, everything you see
gives you the impression that your new Patron envisages themselves as a mighty General on
campaign, conducting economic warfare upon their mercantile rivals.

Zahir the Old:

Zahir the Old is a dark-skinned old man with a thinning white bears and bushy eyebrows. Atop his
head sits a bright orange patterned turban, flecked with jewels and precious metals, that passes in a
great loop under his chin and across his shoulder. He wears a beautifully crafted tunic with a blue
waistcoat fastened with silver and gold buttons. Around his waist is girt a broad belt to hold up his
noticeable belly. Puffy pants of a fine pale blue protrude from under his tunic ending in tight ringlets
around his ankles, on his feet great curled purple slippers terminating in a small golden pendant on
each foot.

 Zahir should speak in an old and weasand voice with little chuckles thrown in for eccentric
effect.
 He should lean and croon over the desk as if trying to bring the image of the PC into focus.
 Butting in every so often, repeating or mishearing a word spoken by the PC, may sell the
effect of being old and hard of hearing. Perhaps have a servant lean in and whisper in Zahir’s
ear to advise and clarify what the PC has said.

Conversation:
Bellow is the information that the PC will require, distribute as necessary and in what manner you
chose, may be have them be given a parchment with instructions on them and banish them quickly
to their task of have them engage in a length audience.

 The PC is required to go to the outskirts of the city and join up with Zahir’s trade caravan,
which due to the recent activity, consists on one relief wagon driven by a Kurshk, a Half-Orc.
 The journey will take a few days at most, you are to deliver the relief aid and make sure that
it is distributed fairly.
 The PC is to meet with a man called Gregor who is the master of the trading post, he is a
trustworthy man and will do right by you.
 You will be paid upon your return, amount to be determined by the DM.

Have the PC meet Kurshk and begin their journey outside of the city gates.

The Quest!
It takes you about half a day’s ride in a carriage laden with supplies to reach the trading post. You
have been decreed by your Patronus to safely deliver aid to his charges and any other layfolk who
may be in need, with a kind reminder of whom it is who brings them sustaining food and blankets,
ale and meats. Raising the name of your Patronus will improve your standing in the festival after all.
While Kurshk drives the wagon ponies on, you busy yourself in the back honing your craft, [whatever
that may be].

Role Perception! (DC 16)

On a success: You hear a creek of branches to you left, you’ve been hearing sounds like it all the way
along the road but this is a different. This is the sound of a tree limb bearing weight!
ON A HIGH ROLE – You notice a Goblin in the trees drawing back a Shortbow! Two more Goblins
surge from the trees on either side wielding crooked blades (Scimitar) wailing!
ON A LOW ROLE – You can make out a shape up in the trees and the unmistakable sound of an
arrow shaft drawing back on the side of a bow!

You have one action to spend before initiative.

On a failure: You hear a soft rustle in the trees as the wind blows down through the leaves, and the
soft crunching of earth beneath the wheels of the cart.
DM Roles Attack & Damage from a Goblin Shortbow. (+4 Attack 1D6+2)

Role initiative.

Combat:
- On their turn, initiative order depending, each Goblin will show themselves.
- One Goblin armed with a Shortbow in the trees
- Two Goblins from either side of the Wagon wielding Crooked Blades (Scimitars)
- Fight until dead, or one is left wounded and attempts to escape.
- Loot: Weapons, some copper coins, a tooth in a bag, a wooden spoon, some unknown
mushrooms.

[Kurshk] Bloody hell that was close!... Come on lets get a move on before any more come looking for
their mates…

He scrambles back onto the Wagon and urges you to jump on and head to the trading post as soon
as possible. When you have finished doing what ever it is you are doing, you get onto the wagon and
with an eye scanning the trees and the brush around you, you head to the Trading Post.

The Trading Post:

You travel for the rest of the day until you break through the dense forest cover into a cleared open
space abutting the river. In this cleared land sits two wooden palisades, one beginning at the shore
and encompassing the entirety of the trading posts dock facilities, mill, workshops, and some
residents housing. The second lies on a raised mound with a surrounding moat and connecting
bridge which holds your Patrons’ Warehouse and the dedicated charges of the post.
Passing a scattering of burned and abandoned cottages outside the palisade you approach the gates
with a sombre realisation that your task has real world consequences. The livelihoods of the
residents of this small trading outpost are at risk while they are threatened by reports of Goblins
abroad.

The gates creek open, as your wagon crawls up to the palisade. Standing under the tree in the
central square, you see a man in a fur lined blue, knee length jacket with a thick black beard and
shaved head.

Gregor “Good afternoon my Friends!”

He walks from under the shade of the tree with arms outstretched, his big brown boots kicking up
dust as he walks.
“Let me introduce myself, my name is Gregor! I hear you are going to sort out my Goblin problem
hmm?”

Information:
- Goblins have been raiding the cottages outside of the palisade at nights, burning the humble
village folk out of their homes.
- They have attacked the walls but never broken through.
- They have not attacked in few days, its gotten the villagers worried.
- Gregor has pulled as many fighting men as he can from the local area but most people have
fled for the safety of the city.
- Gregor requests you help in securing his Trading Post.
- Gregor offers to house you for the night.
The Night of Fire and Fishermen.
During the meal and refreshments at Gregor’s home in the upper palisade, you hear some shouting
and cries from outside. A man in a helm with spear in hand bursts into Gregor’s hall shouting
madness about fire and foes at the gates before turning tail and hurtling back over the bridge to the
lower palisade.

Scene
You come down from the connecting bridge to find the square opening up before you. Men are
pressed against the palisade gates, rhythmically thrown back with a *Thump*….
*Thump*…..*Thump* only to throw themselves against the gates again and again in hopes of
holding them firm.

Flaming torches rain down on the homes from random points along the wall. Women are running to
and froe with buckets of water from the river side in a desperate attempt to halt the spread of
destruction.

*Kroom!* The gate bursts asunder hurling men in all directions, scrambling back to the centre of the
square to form an ad hock shield wall. With differently sized shields and roughly made spears the
posts militia hold their line for whatever will come. Moments after, as the dust settles, Goblins pour
into the Trading Post hurling insults and gargling screams with blades raised!

Roll initiative!

Combat:
- Five Goblins stand arrayed against the shield wall.
- Three Goblins have swords, Two have Shortbows.
- The Shield wall counts as a combatant. One man a turn may have an action on behalf of the
wall i.e. throwing a spear using the Guard stat block on page 347 MM.
- Gregor is considered a noble, page 348 MM, armed with a Rapier.
- When the first wave of Goblins are dead, a second wave bursts in similarly armed.
- Upon a number of defeated Goblin waves, tbc by the DM, a Goblin Boss enters the gate
riding a Worg pg 341 MM, flanked by two Goblins with spears.
- The rest of the Goblin raiding party pour in after the Goblin boss who starts babbling in
Goblin speak at you, foaming at the mouth.
- He charges forward with his mount, his flanking spearmen hurtle after him.
- If the Goblin Boss dies, the raiders leave. OR if the Goblin boss is heavily injured he leaves
with his tail between his legs.

Note: If the battle goes ill, the players hear the sound of a horn behind them towards the docks.
Up pulls a Longship, low in the water. Out jumps a company of men with helms shining and spears
rattling. They charge forward and establish a new line in front of the battered militia.
Them proceed to push the Goblins back.

Scene:
The battle rages on with the professional company holding the line. You meet the captain of the
company who views the fighting as a sport! He is considered a Veteran pg 349 MM. and a friend of
Kurshk. He suggests cutting off the Goblins escape by closing the gates behind them and bottling
them up. The adventurers must now bar the gate by what ever means they can think of.
The Goblins are then bottled up and killed to the last.
Aftermath:
Kurshk and the Free Company Veteran captain are talking while the occupants of the trading post
begin to clear away the dead and transport the Goblins outside of the walls to be burned. The
people seem reluctant to be happy due to damage wrought although those who pass you take the
time from their duties to take you hand and thank you, tip their hats, or give you a smile of gratitude
as they pass.
Gregor finishes up talking with some of the militia members and comes to speak wit you.

Gregor “Well that could have been catastrophic if you and your friend were not here… I didn’t
realise the Goblins had become so organised.” He looks pale at the thought of his neglect.
- Gregor will send militia raids regularly to disrupt any returning Goblins from this day fourth.
- He will strengthen the defences and establish an archery guild to keep everyone well
trained.
- He offers you a gift for your services (Necklace, small trinket, a new bow, or similar) and
gives you a small rolled up piece of parchment with a wax seal and asks you to deliver it to
your Patronus.

Kurshk “I hate to break up this tender moment, but the captain of this here Free Company has
agreed to give us passage back to Greyhawk. He leaves as soon as his men have finished their sweep
of the forests for stragglers. Anyway”… He gives you a slap on the back that knocks the wind out of
you… “See you on the ship.” Kurshk walks over to the small jetty and boards the ship, taking a comfy
spot at the bow where he can lay his head and sleep

Return to Greyhawk:
After a short journey by boat you return to Grayhawk’s Docks and disembark to the sound of the
captain hurling orders to his men who are now resupplying the ship for their next excursion down
river. They offload furs, swords, and other oddments for trade. It appears that before they
encountered the trading post ablaze that they had a run with a pack of Worg scouts and saw no
reason to pass up on some lovely pelts to trade in Greyhawk.

The PC is approached by a man with a rather fluid gate, wearing expensive satins, linens, and velvets
in much the same style as Zahir the Old. Evidently he is an envoy of the Master of Trade.
 Zahir the Old, Master of Trade, has bidden the PC to visit his Guildhall in the upper district of
the Free City of Greyhawk to report and claim your reward.
 You have been gifted 50gp to resupply yourself prior to your meeting with Zahir, to purchase
new clothes, a bath, etc. This is not necessary if you want to just keep the gold, the envoy
winks. Merchants are merchants after all.
 He give you a small metal coin with the mark of Zahir the Old on one side, and a burning ship
design on the other. This is an “All or Nothing Coin”, once a day the PC can toss this coin,
Heads is a Critical Success, Tails is a Critical Fail. Use an actual coin at the table for dramatic
effect. This coin will grant you entry to the upper district.
The Home of Zahir:
The Home of Zahir is one of the first buildings seen as you enter the upper district. From the gateway
it is mostly obscured by high hedges and tall trees but the unmistakable gaudy decorating habits of
Zahir is certainly present. The building is comprised of multiple wings and turrets culminating in
multiple Lúkovichnaya Glavá, some would call them Onion Domes, of bronze and multicoloured tiles.
As you round the corner to the entrance of Zahir’s home you see that every window and door is
draped is silks and satins of vibrant reds and purples. There are tasselled cushions everywhere with
men in similar dress to the envoy who directed you to the home of Zahir. They sit around smoking
long pipes, eating spiced meats and dates, playing games, and discussing ledgers. You make your
way into the central hall of Zahir’s halls which are surprisingly cool despite the blisteringly hot sun,
you are led by a footman into a high-ceilinged, domed room in which Zahir and some other highly
respected merchants are sat discussing business and eating delicately spiced meats, sweet honey
cakes, and minted yoghurts. With a wave of his hand Zahir bring the conversation to a close and
leans back on his cushions. All the other merchants take this chance to also recline and continue to
talk with themselves.

Zahir: “Well?”
 Zahir will want a report of how things have gone and what trade goods were brought back
from the expedition. Will trade resume?
 Zahir will likely be pleased with the outcome of the quest. He will gift the PC accordingly
below.
 You will be entered into the Festival of the Hunt for your services as Zahir’s representative.
Should you succeed in the Festival you may walk away with more than just Zahir’s good
favour. Zahir is a pragmatic merchant and knows that you won’t just stay with him should a
better Patron show you favour, after all if you gain a reputation so will Zahir.
 Tonight you stay in Zahir’s halls. Tomorrow you will make your way to the arena for the
Festival.
The upper flaws of Zahir’s home are decorated in much the same way as the lower floor, each door
is covered by a curtain and in the PC’s room there are incenses burning. The room is relatively
modest by the standards of the hall, with chests for your luggage, a small table with food already set
out and hot as if it were only just placed there. Candles hover above a small desk in one corner and
above the side table next to the bed. On the bed there is a small chest with the seal of Zahir in red
unbroken wax over its seal.

The Chest:
In the chest you find;
 A Cloak of Billowing for dramatic effect.
 A Heward’s Handy Spice Pouch.
 A silver ring with a purple gem on the band.
 A small curved dagger in a red leather sheath.
 A bag of dice.
 A promissory note from Zahir for one of his lesser Airships or one of his hunting Mastiffs
should you win the Festival.

The Quest is now over!

Should you wish to proceed with the Free City module the next stage is the Festival of the Hunt that
will take place at the arena!

The Beast:
The Notice instructs you to seek out your Patron, the “Chief of the Ur-Brook”, in their Yurts on the
outskirts of the city. You will find them, and their camp, outside the Western Middling Gate just
south of the Dock, sheltered by tree.

The Patronus:
Having arrived at the camp, which in truth resembles a small city, consists of hundreds of Yurts all
with door ways draped in great hides or colourful carpets. Their entry ways emanate light from
many small fires and stoves within cooking various meats, stews, and baked goods ideally suited for
life in the saddle. The makeshift streets are populated with horses walking freely without need of
tether or bridle and people of almost every shape and size imaginable. Although they may have
come from various origins, they shared similar clothes and adornments marking them out as
members of the Caravan.

A rather tanned looking Goblin, with his hair pulled back into a top-knot, sporting bright blue
billowing trousers with red puttees wrapped tightly around the foreleg terminating in thick brown
leather fur lined boots, and a long red hooded coat adorned with various trinkets and rings of
precious metals stands before you.

In a sufficiently goblin-y voice:

“Are you one of the adventurin’ lot then?”
“Well it’s taken you long enough… the great Yurt and the pavilion, straight down the central
thoroughfare”

The Far-Rider, Kar-Rosa, Chief of the Ur-Brook:

You approach the pavilion which stands in front of the largest Yurt in the temporary settlement. It
has a lofted ceiling of thick woollen canvas casting a long shadow over the carpeted floor. Beneath
the canopy in the cool shade, sits a small gathering of individuals from various races in discussion,
counting gold or trading trinkets, some sit eating and laughing, others are pawing over maps.
In the centre of a semi-circular gathering of peoples stands a Half-Orc in similar dress to the other
members of his small court and of the Goblin who greeted you. His hair is comparatively long held in
many braids and so too is his black beard parted only by an ever present crooked smile and
protruding tusk like teeth.

Kar-Rosa: (Deep, gruff but intelligent voice with rolling R’s) “Greetings friends, I am the Far-Rider,
Kar-Rosa, Chief of the Ur-Brook, to what and whom to I owe this pleasure?”

Conversation:
Below is the information that the PC will require, distribute as necessary and in what manner you
chose, maybe have them be given a parchment with instructions on them and banish them quickly
to their task or have them engage in an audience.

 The PC is required to go to the woodlands recently obtained by the Ur-Brook.

 These forests have been traded to the Ur-Brook so that they may harvest them for timber
and rare magical flowers to trade during their travels as the caravan moves from city to city.
 There are some beasts in the forest who have been terrorising Ur-Brook trappers and
foresters who have begun surveying the land.
 You are charged to hunt down these beasts and bring their pelt back to Kar-Rosa so that his
Caravaneers may go about their business.
 You are to meet your guide near the edge of the forest, they will help you as far as they will.
 You will be paid upon your return, amount to be determined by the DM.

The Quest!
Following the orders of you Patron, you begin walking down the old forest road to the west of the
city having crossed the river by way of a helpful fisherman and his skiff. You now find yourself
walking alone in the woods heading in the general direction you Patron instructed you to travel to
find your guide. Having walked for a few hours without sign or sound of anything out of the
ordinary, you come to a clearing in the trees with a great stranding stone in its centre.
Sat atop this stone, there is an Elf with legs crossed and arms in her lap, eyes closed.

Upon [PC Movement, declaration of presence, or any other act that would make noise.] the elf leans
forward until she rolls off of the stone to the ground with a soft thump and rolling to one knee,
drawing longbow and arrow in one swift motion from her back, pointing directly at your chest.

Kaley “And... who the fuck’re you?”

PC assumedly explains themselves.

Kaley “ Ooooh, well you took your time getting here.”

- Kayley has been tracking the beast for a few days but hasn’t caught sign of it.
- She is pretty confident that she knows where it is and can lead you there without much
trouble.
- She’s pretty sure it’s a bear? (pg 318 MM.)
- It’s a Dryad (pg 121 MM.) who take bear form. PC will not learn this until later.

Kayley “Well come on then, you don’t fancy hunting this thing in the dark do ya?”
She takes off at a run, leaping into the brush before you have time to respond.
She pops her head of out the bush she just leapt over “Come on!” ducking back into the greenery
with the sound of light feet disappearing into the trees.

The Trapper:
Having finally caught up with Kayley you can see on her face that she is concerned about something.
She slows to a jog, then a walk, then to standing still in a small glade between two large Linden trees.

Make a perception check

Pass: You don’t know what first caused Kayley to stop but you can hear it now. *Rasping breath* and
the tangy smell of blood in the air.

Fail: You don’t know why Kayley has stopped but she hasn’t drawn her bow, she’s just stood there in
the glade.

Kayley walks over to a tree, now you see what she is looking for. There is a boot sticking out from
behind the trunk. When Kayley reaches the tree, she slows her walk and crouches down near the
body of a man. She beckons you over.

You see a man with thinning hear and a torn woollen tunic and a brown leather waistcoat with many
pockets and buttons. His trousers are of the same cut the caravaneers prefer for their long rides on
horseback. He has a red beard with small bronze beads adorning it. Across his chest and arms, he
bears claw marks and deep cuts which are slowly pooling blood where he sits. An Axe lays limply
held in his right hand, his left is covering a great wound in his stomach.

Kayley reaches forward to brush some thin hairs off his face, but the man says nothing, simply
wheezing with great effort.

The PC Investigates:
The PC cannot learn anything from asking the man, he is too weak to speak. But they can learn
things about him by doing nature checks, investigation checks, etc.
  He is a trapper going by the look of his clothing and the various snares and small traps
hanging from his side or from his pack which he still wears propped up against the tree.
 The bit of his axe appears to be covered in a sap of some kind, but you don’t know where
from.
 He probably come from the caravan surveying party which has been reporting aggressive
animal activity and even attacks in the area.

Kayley looks at the man and rests her hand on her dagger. The man looks at her hand, then at her
and closes his eyes in recognition. She draws a leaf-shaped dagger with ivy engraved along its length
and presses it against the man’s chest. He takes a deep breath with considerable effort, wincing at
the pain.

Kayley takes the man’s head in her hands, he looks at her and smiles.

She pushes the knife in quickly and the man doesn’t appear to notice, he slowly closes his eyes, still
looking at Kayley and smiling contently. He goes limp as Kayley lowers him gently to the floor and
folds his arms over his chest.

Kayley “It’s a cruel fate to die slowly and alone.” She begins to examine the mans wounds. “Looks
like something big…” She holds her hand up to the wound, her fingers spread to their greatest extent
don’t entirely encompass the breadth of the claws that gored the man. “Very big…”

Roll perception.

Pass: You can see small blood drops leading away from the man’s body, presumably the way he
came after being attacked, and the unmistakable sign of something passing clumsily through the
brush to the north. The tracks that are visible indicate the man was limping to his final resting place,
buried in the mud of his fresh footprints you find small olive green and amber leaves as well as some
small patches of brown fur.

Fail: Using the PC’s passive perception, you see leading away somewhere north, the broken brush
and heavy steps of the recently dead man. Presumably that is the way he came after being attacked.

Kayley watches you looking at the brush and the prints. Lifting her hands from the man’s chest,
Kayley takes her bow in hand and stands by your side.

Kayley “I think we have our trail?”

She begins walking low to the ground with an arrow knocked.

The Lady in Green:

Have the PC’s roll for stealth should they wish, indicate that this is right course of action through the
body language of Kayley.

Pass: The PC’s creep along with Kayley, marvelling at the speed and grace in which she moves with
uttermost silence. Brushing quietly past leaves and stepping carefully over fallen twigs you follow
Kayley until she stops and lowers herself even closer to the ground.
Fail or Neglect: The PC’s clumsily walk right past Kayley knocking branches and leaves out of their
way, crushing dead leaves and twigs underfoot. (NPC’s or creatures have advantage on attack or
perception checks against the PC)

The PC either stealthily follows Kayley or loudly lumbers to edge of a clearing of beaten grass and
rather large footprints. There doesn’t appear to be anything in the clearing, just a small pool of
water fed by a brook surrounded by small rocks and an overhanging Willow tree.
There is a tree to the edge of the clearing, quite close to you, that appears to have sap spigots
knocked into its trunk with little buckets & carved cups hanging from the spigots to collect the sap.
Some spigots and their cups litter the ground and branches clearly felled with an axe lay propped
against the trunk.

Perception Check.

Pass: Kayley’s ears twitch and she draws her bow to her cheek. A Bear (Maybe an Owlbear?) slinks
from behind the Willow tree on the other side of the clearing with its eyes fixed firmly on you. Its
claws softly brush the grass under paw with little more than the lightest of steps. It softly growls but
doesn’t appear to attack.

Fail: Kayley doesn’t notice the Bear (Maybe an Owlbear?) until the PC does and is therefore taken by
surprise. From behind the spigotted tree on the near side of the clearing, its feet softly crunching
leaves underfoot as it growls and creeps closer to the PC and Kayley.

Kayley “I did say big didn’t I?”

The following are two alternate interactions with the Bear, Kayley will follow the lead of the PC.
 One is “The Fight”, this is self-explanatory. Fight the Bear until the Dryad is revealed and
a conclusion to the fight is reached. This may lead into the second of the two alternation
interactions.
 Two is the Lady of Leaves. The PC’s may pick up on the unusual body movements and
motions of the Bear indicating another purpose or degree of higher intelligence. Should
this occur, the DM should reveal the Dryad and talk with the PC’s about the fate of the
woodland.

The Fight: “Role for initiative”

The first half of the combat will begin with the PC fighting a Bear (or Owlbear) until either the Bear is
down to Half Health or Killed (Or a thematically appropriate point as determined by the DM). At
this point the Bear will shift to a falling blanket of leaves presenting themselves as a Dryad.

The Dryad will then continue to attack the PC or if the injuries are severe enough to incapacitate the
Dryad they will enter death throws in which the DM can either allow the PC to finish off the Dryad
and claim the reward of loot. Alternatively the PC may interact with the Dryad and hear its side of
the story before dying shortly thereafter.

The Lady of Leaves:

Should the PC attempt to interact with the beast or pose no sufficient threat, the Bear will shift to a
falling blanket of leaves presenting themselves as a Dryad. The DM should be prepared to run a
combat encounter should the PC insult, threaten, or otherwise displease the Dryad.
Dryad: (In a stern yet feminine tone) “Why are you here, disturbing the sanctity of my home?”

Conversation:
 People have been coming to the home of the Dryads and violating their sacred trees.
 The Dryads are preparing to go to war with anyone who enters the woods and intends to
damage them. The Dryads normally protect their own individual woods but if they need to
they will rise to protect their kin.
 They would grant the PC passage in there woods, their blessing, and gifts if they would
convince the intruders to no enter the forest.
 These gifts should also include prizes of a successful hunt; Bear claws, Wolves teeth etc.
Something to help convince Kar-Rosa of the success of their mission. This would unlikely
contain pelts as these would have to have been obtained through the desecration of the
dead.
DM’s note; if the PC’s do not fully convince Kar-Rosa of the success of their quest he may send more
people into the woods regardless. Furthermore, if the PC mentions the presence of Dryads this may
spark off a hunting zeal for the valuable saps, essences, and poisons that can be extracted from
Dryads. This will be covered in more detail later.

Upon the conclusion of the interaction with the Dryad, the party should aim to head back to the Free
City of Greyhawk. On their way back the sun begins to fall low, its amber rays glistening through the
foliage as the party walks through the brush.
Perception Check; (results determine detail)
Off to the left of the party there can be heard the sounds of a crackling camp fire and the voices of
dwarves talking and drinking jovially. You can identify three different voices and smell the distinct
aroma of pipe tobacco and roasting mutton on the air.

Should the party choose to approach, they find sitting around a campfire, with bedrolls laid around
them, three dwarves with pipes in hand, tankards at their hip and crossbows laid by their sides. They
appear to be well provisioned and in good spirits.
If the party approach openly they would be greeted and offered food and ale. If the party approach
stealthily and take the group by surprise, they will be greeted with hostility and suspicion. It is
unlikely that the party will be offered rest should they attempt the latter.

Describe the Dwarves.

The Dwarves are heading to the Free City of Greyhawk to offer their services as jewellers and
merchants to Kar-Rosa Chief of the Ur-Brook.

After much merriment and games with the Dwarves set up a long rest and watches between the PCs.
At the beginning of each shift have the PCs make a Perception check, during one of these checks
have the encounter below proceed. Should the PCs fail perception rolls, have the encounter occur
but begin with either one of the PCs or the NPCs be grappled using an opposed strength check with
disadvantage due to there sleeping nature.

“A night raid by Orcs… some joke.”

Success: The PC notices something moving on the edge of their camp clearing just out of the fire
light. As you peer in the direction of the movement it stops leaving silence hanging over the camp. A
crash of leaves and broken boughs announce the sudden onset of three forest goblins brandishing
spears and crude crooked knives!

Fail: (The PC on watch drifts off to sleep) You don’t know how long you have been asleep and you all
lay content in your dreams. You are jolted awake, being dragged out of your bedroll by your hair
held in callused hands. Above you is the face of goblin bearing yellowed teeth in a manic grin flanked
by two similar bent back creatures brandishing spears and crude crooked knives!

The Dwarves join the fight while the grappled PC remains grappled until rescued. If this is a solo
adventure, allow the PC to attempt creative or strength-based ways of releasing themselves from
grappling or allow the NPC friendly combatants to free them. While grappled in a solo adventure the
Hostile NPC’s should not attack the PC to avoid stun-locking, instead attempt to drag the PC away
from the party. (Free reign for a spin off adventure)

The Aftermath: The Dwarves offer to travel with the Party, they had planned to head to a nearby
village to buy supplies but given present circumstances they want to travel in strength. They offer
supplies and gifts if the party are resistant to allowing travel.

Return to the Caravan.

With the help of the Dwarves, the Party arrives back at the Ur-Brook Caravan to find it bustling with
life. No more than would usually be expected for a thriving trade caravan but the Ur-Brook Nomads
aren’t carrying the silks and spices you saw them with previously. Now they are carrying Javelins,
Spears, and bundles of arrows. Horses and Battle-Mastiffs are saddled and being led in cavalcades
through the makeshift streets between the Yurts by armoured individuals of every race imaginable.

The Dwarves leave to go find their friends in the Caravan, if the Ur-Brook are moving off or heading
to war they need to make themselves useful, so they get taken along for the ride.

You hear over the din of commotion, the deep throated voice of Kar-Rosa yelling orders in a variety
of languages to the different races who are moving throughout the camp. He, like many of the
members of the clan, ride to war in light armour or padded jackets. He doesn’t look too dissimilar to
the last time you saw him but now he wears a long blue padded coat bearing a glistening curved
bladed sword with a long handle wrapped in fairly plain leather.

Kar-Rosa turns and sees you raises a hand to greet you from afar and beckons you to him with
exaggerated motions.

Kar-Rosa:
- The Caravan is not moving off just yet, he is simply gathering a War-Party to secure his
holdings in the forests. He has had more and more people go missing and he wants to know
why.
- If he has to flush the forests out with blood and iron he will do.
- He intents to keep the caravan here for the duration of the festival but he will move towards
the forests in due time to begin setting up the first permanent settlement of the Ur-Brook.
- If Kar-Rosa is suitably impressed with the information given to him and the party’s
performance, he will sponsor their entry into the Festival of the Hunt.
- He will send word to one of his contacts in the merchant district who will hep equip you and
house you until the commencement of the Festival of the Hunt, should you wish.

Kar-Rosa offers the party gifts for their service:

 Ur-Brook Sabres with the crest of Kar-Rosa marked into the blade. (+1 to attack when
mounted)
 A bag with 1D20 x10 GP for each party member.
 Should the party wish it, Kar-Rosa will gift the party a slave.
 Should the party wish it, Kar-Rosa will have his artisans make for them and item of their
choosing, within reason, which should be ready by the time of the Festival of the Hunt.
The Quest is now over!
Should you wish to proceed with the Free City module the next stage is the Festival of the Hunt that
will take place at the arena!

The Cult:
The Notice instructs you to seek out your Patron, “Brother Damian, of the Church of Holy
Judgement”, in their Monastery Grounds in upper district of the city. They can be found North West
of the Upper Plaza expanding over the majority of that quarter including their training yards, holy
barracks, temple to Tyr, and ritual fountain. (G)

The Patronus
You walk along the side of the open Monastery Grounds, who’s boundaries are defined by the roads
encircling its quarter as well as the distinctive cyclopean marble structures with high colonnades,
columns, and ritual fountains. Even by the standards of the Upper District, the gardens of the Holy
Order’s Monastery are impeccably clean and beautiful to behold.
Walking further along the road, with the Temple of Tyr high on your left, you stand in front of a high
marbled arch decorated with images of Clerics and Paladins with tall shields and maces raised,
fighting a myriad of monsters and evil beings. Among the ranks of Goblins and Kobolds, you see Men
and Devils in equal measure with contorted faces and crooked knives, appearing to throw
themselves in great numbers upon the shields of the Clerics.

In a soft well-spoken manner “The sculptors truly capture their madness and ferality don’t they.
Hopelessly throwing themselves upon the blades of the righteous in a vein attempt to spread their
malediction to the pure.”

To your right and standing slightly behind you is a man with a close-cropped head of hair, almost
shaven, with a broad chest and thick arms beneath a while tunic and red trimmed tabard. He wears
simple leather shoes with wooden patens and a small leather bag at his waist with a dagger tucked
beneath it. Other than that, he is dressed quite plainly.
Should the PC’s enquire for his name, he is “A Friend” and should say no more or “Just a friend”
He offers to show the PC’s around the monastery before taking them to speak with Brother Damian
as he is currently busy but should be available when they head for the monastery’s main hall.

A Tour of the Monastery

As your new friend takes you through a leisurely walk around the Monastery complex, you are
faintly surprised at how quiet the grounds are despite being within a bustling city. The only sounds
that drift between the buildings and over the gardens are soft prayers, the sound of trickling water
from streams that fill the ritual fountains, and the light sounds of birds who clearly take sanctuary in
this quiet part of the city.

You see Clerics followed by retainers bearing reems of paper, pouring over lists and debating actions
to be taken. Others are tending the gardens within the Monastery, some of whom are clearly high-
ranking members of the Monastery toiling with the lowest acolyte. Others still are simply reading
and watching the world go by.

Role History Check (Information dependant on outcome, but always give some)
Your guide sees you looking around at the sights of the Monastery and taking in its scents and
sounds. Our Monastery….
- Is dedicated to Tyr, the Maimed God of justice and righteous order.
 - We keep records of all the goings on within the city and the lands about, to dispense justice
as required under the tenants of Tyr.
- Should you wish to join all are welcomed to join the Church of Holy Judgement, regardless of
lineage or status all are acolytes under Tyr’s hand until they are proven righteous.
- We provide clerical duties and arbitration to all who ask, this is of course in addition to our
role as holy justices of the city.
- Be prepared to answer questions and make up religious doctrine on the fly.

Your new friend leads you to the Clerical halls opposite to the Temple of Tyr, you passed it on the
way in to the Monastery.

“Bother Damian should be ready to see you now.”

Brother Damian
Your friend walks into the cool yet well lit Clerical Halls of Justice. Despite the beating of the sun
outside, the halls are relatively cool with only a warm breeze a reminder of the heat. Above you, the
arched and lofted ceiling is carved and painted with many of the same depictions as to the arch you
passed under into the Monastery, all in cold marble. On moving wooden batons hang embroided
tapestries that rock gently back and forth pulled by golden cords generating the cool breeze within
the halls.
The floor is made of interwoven stone slabs of many colours creating knotted patterns and images of
Clerics. A red carpet leading up the centre of the hall terminates at a table under a great glass dome
upon which is spread maps, compasses, and small trays of refreshments. Around the table lean
many Clerics, Paladins, and acolytes discussing further lists and making gestures of the map to then
return to debating the lists.

Your friend begins to walk to the table with arms outstretched. Without breaking stride or appearing
to be inconvenienced in any way, a handful of acolytes rush to his side sliding gauntlets onto his
wrists, maile is born on his waist, greaves, pauldrons, and a chest plate are adorned upon him to be
finally covered with a fresh tabard bearing the symbol of Tyr. A mighty sword is placed into his hand
mere paces from the table. As a last edition, before the man comes to a halt, an acolyte places a
carven wooden block at his feet. He stops and slams the blade point down into the block *Boom*
echoes through the hall.

One of the Clerics turns, barely noticing the display. “Ah Brother Damian, how was you walk?”

Damian “Rather pleasant thank you, in fact I found some new friends.”

Conversation:
- The Church of Tyr has been dwindling in this area, acolytes come less and less frequently.
- Churches in other cities are still strong so the word of Tyr is not at risk of being lost.
- The Merchants of the City support the Monastery but there are fewer hands to lend labour.
- Due to the lack of ordained Clerics and Paladins, few can be spared.
- The Church has begun hiring adventures, if that is the collective noun for it, to perform tasks
in the name of Tyr.
- In this case there have been reports of Cultist activity to the East of the city. The Church of
Bane has taken a foothold and it is said that they have taken individuals from the local
villages.

The Church of Bane:

- For context the Church of Bane’s doctrine is that of predatory capitalist behaviour.
 - Sacrifices to Bane are meant to bring fortune at the expense of others.
- Submission and domination are the goal of the Clergy of Bane.
- Their churches are black places and their cultists even blacker… and armed…

- You will be accompanied by a Cleric of Tyr to investigate these claims and follow their
instruction as to action

Damian “Under no circumstances bust you speak with the followers of Bane. Their fractious doctrine
is corrupting and deceitful. To listen to such individuals is heresy...”

The Quest!

The Abandoned Village:

The Notice instructs you to seek out your new Patron, the “High Lictor”, at the temple of Tzutan, The
Pyramidal building next to the area.

The Patronus:
Having arrived the temple you find it to be a brilliantly white Pyramid of polished stone with
exquisite gardens and row upon row of scented flowers. There are many benches and seats carved
in stone in the gardens but no one appears to be within the boundary of the temple. Its great stone
doors are closed, which is strange to you as all other temples in the city, albeit much smaller than
this, have open doors and a general hustle and bustle of worshipers and tradesmen looking for piety.
As you approach the great stone doors they appear to be of the same polished stone as the rest of
the
Pyramid, with two bronze handles and no external lock that you can see. DM’s note: If the PC does
not try to open the door have it open of its own accord with a wisp of smoke and incense.
Once inside the door closes with a snap behind you. If the PC tries to open the door it is now
impassable. The darkness within these halls is almost complete, obscuring entirely the walls of the
temple, the darkness extends for it seems like forever in all directions save one. At what you must
assume is the centre of the Pyramid you see a single shaft of light penetrating the veil to illuminate a
single individual.
In the centre of the room there is a stone table with brazures of incense burning with a green flame
casting a baleful light upon the contents of the table. Books pile high, candles melted dripping on the
cold stone top. Parchment, ink, scalpels, and other devices of indiscernible nature litter the surface.
Leant upon the table, shoulders hunched and gloved hands with figures curled in frustrated
concentration stands the silhouette of the only other person in the temple.
If the PC interacts with the High Lictor have the cut them off mid sentence with a wave of the hand
without looking up from their work. If not, have the High Lictor beckon the PC over with a crooking of
the finger over their shoulder. When the PC reaches the High Lictor, have them turn around and
reveal their height to be taller than the tallest PC, casting a shadow on the group.

High Lictor Choroba:

With elbow length leather gloves clasped behind his back, the High Lictor stands with a gaunt yet
proud frame, a brown leather ankle length jacket is buckled tightly to his body; his face, head, and
neck covered in by a leather cowl, broad brimmed leather hat, and long plague doctors mask with
seemingly opaque oculars starring blankly at you. His breathing is low and regular.

Eastern European Accent:

Choroba: “My name is High Lictor Choroba, the Inquisitor of the Temple of Tzutan… Who are you?”
  During conversation the PC discovers there has been a village in southern province of Free
Guild lands that has neglected paying its taxes, providing trade goods, or sending tribute to
the temple of Tzutan.
 Should the PC ask, the Temple of Tzutan is dedicated to the expulsion of pestilence.
Hospitals provide care for the sick, but the temple placates the gods of plague and disease so
that they may not exact their corrupt justices upon the world.
 No information about the settlement has been received in over a month, no mention of
decent, unrest, exodus, famine.
 The PC will be given a necklace of pendants with the Seal of the High Lictor, the Holy Symbol
of the Temple of Tzutan, and the Token of the Free City of Greyhawk.
 You are instructed to act as the envoy for the Temple of Tzutan and contact the village to re-
establish tribute to the temple. Find out why they have heard nothing from the villagers.
 You will be given a horse, a physicians pack, and a Prayer Book of Tzutan (A Spell book with
Turn Undead, Protection from Good & Evil, and Burning Hands) [For Wizards only, otherwise
it is just an interesting item until identified].
 The horse can be found at the city gates, show you pendants and you will find a horse with
your supplies in saddlebags on its back. The horse also wears a plague doctors mask with the
same blank oculars. Its hooves and legs are covered in leather shrouds buckled tightly to its
limbs. Animal is gaunt, it ribs and joints are very prominently seen, it is functionally hairless
and its spine is clearly discernible. It does however, appear strong.
 Upon dismissal the High Lictor gestures to the door which opens, a glaring corridor of light
reaches all the way to the Lictors table, but he has turned back to his work and refuses to
engage the PC’s further.

Have the PC meet their new horse and begin their adventure.

The Quest!
You would stop and ask for directions but without so much as sound the horse begins walking down
the well-worn roads to where you assume the village might lay. As the sun strengthens you make
good progress although your new horse is unsettlingly quiet. Passing through woods and along a
ridge of hills you come to a sign that reads “Albridge, 15 miles”

It takes you the better part of the day to reach what you think must be the village as the clouds
begin to set in around you and the rain begins to pour. Lightly at first, the rain now comes down in
sheets turning the ground to a slurry of mud and stone. The sun begins to go down, dusk is rapidly
on its way.

You come to a modest village on the other side of a fast-flowing river, on your side there are only a
handful of homes. The other side of the river sports what must have been a bustling village with a
Church at its centre. Now all lays quiet.

The Quiet Village:

Allow the PC to investigate the village as they wish. On any critical success role, the PC will identify a
hand with a ring protruding from the mud. If the PC interacts with the hand in anyway, they trigger a
Zombie encounter.
If the PC leads the horse into the village feel free to kill the horse.
Describe each home that the PC enters in a similar manner as the example below. Enable them to
loot if they wish although keep this in mind when triggering Zombie encounters, perhaps a higher DC
or automatic trigger as you would with failed check that would result in excessive noise.

The Empty Halls.

There are no lights in the house you approach, its simple exterior hints to the rural life of these
provincial settlers. The door doesn’t appear to be locked and swings open easily with a soft creek.
Any light from lanterns or torches seeps onto the wooden floors and into the rest of the darkened
and silent room.
A table stands in the centre of the room, a hearth against one wall and a variety of odd chests,
cupboards, and shelves littered with oddments of a normal household. These buildings are simple
affairs often with only one other room off of the main hall.
In some you may want to litter the occasional corpse, i.e. in a bed, or slumped on a table with its
wrists open sat in a pool of dried blood. These will have advantage on perception checks against the
PC due to proximity.

Distribute loot if necessary, using some examples below; (Role a D10)

1. A bag of gold coins.
2. A simple knife.
3. A simple piece of jewellery.
4. A book about some pigs with incorrect planning permission.
5. A stout walking stick with some interesting carvings up its length.
6. A longbow, it only has five arrows.
7. A spoon… spoons are always useful.
8. A small bag of tools including; a hammer, a chisel, a small folding saw, some nails, and an
instruction booklet for a bird house.
9. A short sword, it doesn’t look like its been used in years.
10. A small jar of fragrant tea.

The Zombie Encounter:

These encounters are triggered by noise, interaction, and excessive movement. Use the Zombie stat-
block in the Monster Manual. Give some Zombies tools/weapons to make things interesting.
With a great sucking of air into tattered lungs and chattering teeth, the ragged from of a rotting
villager shudders to life. Contorting in unnatural ways, it lumbers to its feet and locks pale dead eyes
with you. With a groan and a crunch of bone and cartilage, the creature shambles forward clawing at
the air and biting at nothing. It continues to suck in air and its eyes widen as it drags its broken form
ever on.

Role initiative!
These encounters will continue to happen until the PC learns to sneak around the village, if they don’t
learn this feel free to punish them with more and more Zombies or be kind if they are learning. If the
PC investigates the church in the centre of the village, they will encounter an Undead Priest. When
the PC encounters the priest, have the Holy Symbol of Tzutan glow with an internal flame indicating
this is the source of the Zombie plague.

The Undead Priest. (Encounter triggered upon entering the Church.)

The Church is bathed in moonlight through the stained-glass window behind the alter, a few candles
are lit around the dais and at the ends of pews along the central isle. Prayer books lay torn and
tattered on the ground. Scraps of clothing and dead flesh are strewn here and there leaving bloody
streaks in their wake.
At the end of the isle, on the dais there is a figure hunched over the alter, its movements jarring and
unnatural. You cannot see what it is, but it is clad in the garb of a priest of Tzutan, and it feasts on
the still moving corpse of a zombie on the alter. If the PC does nothing, have the Zombie react and
groan, reaching in the PC’s direction.
The figure turns to look at the PC, viscera and organs hang loosely from its slacken jaw. Its long
figure holding lumps of rotting flesh as it turns to face the PC and raise itself to its full height.
Describe what the Ghoul looks like to the PC.
The Holy Symbol of Tzutan glows with an internal flame indicating this is the source of the Zombie
plague.

Role initiative!
With a screeching howl the Ghoul leaps down from the dais and charges at the PC. Use the Ghoul
stat-block in the Monster Manual. If the PC is solo, do not apply the Paralytic Touch as this will
almost certainly kill the PC in less than a turn if successful.

If/When the PC is successful in killing the Ghoul, describe how its skin partially regains some of its
natural colour revealing the half elf priest it once was. Make special note of how the corpse still
retains much of its Ghoulish nature i.e. half its face frozen in bestial frothing rage with black opaque
eyes staring into nothing, blood drenching its mouth, the other half the frightened features of a
young half elf. Its body contorted as the differing proportions of the Ghoul and the former priest
create contorted and horrifying mounds of flesh with grotesque hands, elven feet, a bulging Ghoulish
chest etc.

If the PC loots the body, they find a Prayer book of Tzutan with Abyssal scripture written on all of its
pages in blood and bile. The may also find; (Role a D10)
1. A Holy Symbol of Tzutan with half the insignia crudely melted off.
2. A handful of distinctly human teeth in a bloodied rag.
3. A sacrificial knife.
4. A flask with a human eye which follows the gaze of the PC and bubbles occasionally.
5. A black crystal which when held to the ear turns red and emanates the sounds of screaming
women and children.
6. A slice of rotting human flesh.
7. A silver locket, now covered in blood. Inside is the picture of an Elven woman, perhaps a
loved one?
8. A human finger with bite marks at its severed knuckle. It twitches when held in the hand.
9. A letter addressed to the High Lictor begging for forgiveness and requesting guidance, it goes
on to speak of dark nightmares and horrific acts of necromancy and cannibalism.
10. A flask of flammable oil with “Abandon all hope” crudely written on its parchment fastening.

Allow the PC to explore should they wish but they will ultimately want to return to the Free City of
Greyhawk.

The Journey Home:

If the Horse dies the PC will have to make it back on foot, describe the journey and perhaps use the
journey phase rules in the Middle Earth expansion.
You arrive back at the Free City of Greyhawk, you shouldn’t be surprised at being stopped at the
gates by the guards who see a bedraggled figure coated in a thick layer of mud, blood, and viscera.
Unless the PC has cleaned themselves.
You are approached by a what appears to be a young priest of Tzutan, going by the mask they bear,
they must be a senior priest.
 The PC is instructed to go straight to the home of the High Lictor, this is in the upper district.
  Show the guards at the upper district your seal of the High Lictor and they will let you in.
 The priest appears disinterested in anything the PC has to say and leaves without much
notice.
Allow the PC to do as they wish in the Free City although they will need to eventually head to the
home of the High Lictor.

The Home of the High Lictor:

The home of the High Lictor is reached through a nondescript mausoleum like entry way with a spiral
stone staircase leading down to an underground complex with a regulated cool temperature
reminiscent of a morgue through a complex system of pipes and small steam turbines along the
walls.
You make your way into the personal chambers of the High Lictor which is long, narrow and poorly
lit. At the far end sits the high lictor behind a large oaken desk, behind him is a large round stained-
glass window through which pours a green light, from where you cannot tell being underground.
The personal chambers of the High Lictor are reminiscent of the temple, unsettlingly clean and cold.
 A reward is to be given in a chest that appears behind the PC, have the High Lictor gesture to
the chest without noise or fanfare. Gifts outlined below. The PC should be concerned as to
how it got there. When the gifts are removed and the PC turns to speak with the High Lictor,
have the chest disappear when they turn back around to leave.
 If the PC did not burn down the village to stem the plague, the High Lictor will have it done
and shows no sign of concern for the village or the lands around.
 You will not be entered into the Festival of the Hunt, instead you will be officially recognised
by the Temple of Tzutan as an agent.
 Should the PC request public recognition they will be dismissed by the High Lictor, this is not
why you should take up these quests.
 Feel free to enjoy the festival, you will always be in the employ of the Temple of Tzutan,
although this day you will not be able to earn recognition from the more prestigious
Patronus’ in the Free City of Greyhawk.
 You have a room booked at the Velvet Possum in the Merchant District.
The Velvet Possum:
The Velvet Possum is a simple looking establishment in the Merchant District with deep red velvet
curtains covering the windows and entrance. Upon entering the Inn you surprised to see a
beautifully decorated interior with large cushions and thick carpets surrounding low tables with
some Inn patrons sitting smoking and playing games or just talking to one another.
The Mistress of the Inn approaches the PC and asks them if they would eat or drink, when they find
out who they are they are told that there is a room booked for them upstairs.
The upper flaws of the Inn are decorated in much the same way as the lower floor, each door is
covered by a curtain and in the PC’s room there are incenses burning. The room is relatively modest
with chests for your luggage, a small table with food already set out and hot as if it were only just
placed there. Candles hover above a small desk in one corner and above the side table next to the
bed. On the bed there is a small chest with the seal of the High Lictor in red unbroken wax over its
seal.
The Chest:
In the chest you find;
 A Net.
 A Silver Knife with the Holy Symbol of Tzutan on the blade.
 A flask of Oil.
 A flask of Holy Water
 A flask of Antitoxin.
  A Healers Kit.
 A Leather mask with opaque black oculars, it fits tightly to the face and has a grilled cylinder
across the mouth piece to be filled with scented herbs and flowers. On the inside you find a
note in the High Lictors hand. It reads, “You don’t have to wear this, but it may come in
useful when I call. Now get some rest.”

The Quest is now over!

Should you wish to proceed with the Free City module the next stage is the Festival of the Hunt that
will take place at the arena!

Maps: