A Fistful

of Feathers
A point crawl adventure for Cairn
By Martin Orchard

pointlessmonument.itch.io
And so it begins…
A decree from the court of King Leopold II:
“His highness desires the softest and most
comfortable bed in all the land. Such that he may
be well rested and refreshed to strategize on The
Numerous Perils Afflicting The Kingdom”
It is well known across the land that the very
softest and warmest of feathers are those
shed from the giant arboreal goose within
the Downfall Forest.
In addition:
You (or the party as a whole) may have
further motivations of your own (Roll d6).
Progression within the Mattress
1 Makers and Taxidermists Guild ("en
stuffen, lucre")
2 A desire to raise an arboreal goose
chick as your companion/mount.
3 To secure additional feathers to make
beds for the nobility (who will surely
want to emulate the king’s style and
taste).
4 To study the Downfall Forest and its
many natural glades and swamps.
5 Competition with a rival for royal
notice and patronage.
There will be at least one rival group of
feather hunters active in the area and
The Warden should also choose or roll 1-3
times to determine any twists that are in
known to the party (Roll d6) play. (Roll d6)
1
‘Captain’ Darkwater’s Crew. Tamriel
Darkwater was on a boat once and
1 Roll an additional group of feather
hunters. This group has a particular
didn’t care for it. This has not
prevented him from styling himself as
grudge against the party, stemming
from an incident in their shared past.
a temporarily land-bound pirate
captain and leading a group known for
its high risk approach. 2 Roll an additional group of feather
hunters. This group is three days
ahead of the party, and thus likely
The Quarells. Rowan and Phillipe encountered deeper into the forest
2 Quarell are known for their skills with and/or on their return.
the bow and the intensity of their
arguments. This has not prevented
them from leading a successful group 3 The flock of Giant Arboreal Geese (see
Point I) are days away from beginning
of hunters and trappers, although it their annual migration South. This
does restrict them from reaching their
full potential.
will reduce the difficulty of raiding the
nest themselves, but the likelihood of
random encounters increases as other
3 Pigley’s Band. Farmers thrown off
their land after a dispute with the local
scavengers move in.

And thus: landowner. Gerrant Pigley continues

to lead them, promising that utopia is 4 The Eukaryotic Collective (see Point
6 To complete part one of a complex plot
that will culminate in the just around the corner if they
H) wish to send an ambassador to
King Leopold’s Court, and hence
• The value of such feathers has increased assassination of the King within his (meaning Pigley himself, in his role as
greatly. require a mobile host. They claim that
own bedchamber. treasurer) can accumulate sufficient the process is painless and reversible,
wealth to buy their own farm. but the intentions of the ambassador
• Avian seers and even the Falcon-wise are are unclear.
much in demand to determine whether The Red Maiden’s Troupe. Penelope
the feathers are genuine. 4 Grant is known for her vibrant scarlet An unusually dry spell of weather is
hair, commanding voice and attention 5 now followed by thunderstorms. In
• Many think to try their luck and skill in to detail. This is extends to publicising addition to random encounters, there
obtaining the feathers. her group of otherwise unremarkable is a 2-in-6 chance per day that
mercenaries, the better to impress lightning strikes close to the party,
• Such groups have becomes known as strangers. starting a forest fire. After one week
‘Feather Hunters’. (or two strikes) the weather returns to
Tosswater Terry and his Flying normal.
You have all travelled to 5 Dragoons. Terry has had many jobs,
the village of but it was a role as regimental The dampness of the forest is worse
Ganderlook (Point A) in historian for the XV Legion that 6 than usual. Thick fog occludes all the
order to venture deep inspired him to form the Dragoons. usual path, and plays tricks on the
within the Downfall Recruiting chiefly from those who mind for usually reliable navigation
Forest to The Vast wish they led a more exciting life, he techniques. The fog lifts after ten days,
White Elms (Point I) encourages them to create fictitious but until then the party have an
where the geese make accounts of their success. increased chance to become lost and
their nests and raise may even go in circles.
their young. There you The Grey Ravens. Miserable and
will gather as many 6 sickly, they march under the banner of
feathers as you can and a stuffed raven nailed to a board. It
attempt to return to has seen better days, as has much of
safety. their equipment and clothing.
Navigation
• Circles indicate locations (points).
• Diamonds indicate travel time in
days.
• A general rule in the forest is that the
trees grow larger and older the deeper
you go. It is therefore difficult to become
completely lost.
• The Warden can rule whether a party
reaches the precise destination they are
aiming for, or arrives somewhere else.
Random Encounters
• Encounters occur on a 2-in-6, rolled
once per day, or twice if the party is
creating a disturbance (for example if
foraging).
• Re-roll duplicate encounters if they do
not make narrative sense.
• Additional rewards for party members
can be found at the end of this
adventure.
Huskamolt Swamp (1d6)
Stranglevine Tree [12 HP, 1 armour]
1 15 STR, 5 DEX, 6 WIL,
Lashing vines (d8 blast)
• Cannot move, but indistinguishable
from nearby plants
• Critical: Pick up and pull victim into
foliage
New Forest (1d6)
1d3 Swamp Kraken [7 HP]
2 12 STR, 15 DEX, 6 WIL,
Tentacles (d8 dual)
• As an action, can spray putrid slime
• Critical: drags target below surface
2d4 Rival Feather Hunters[4 HP]
3 11 STR, 11 DEX, 11 WIL,
Assorted cheap weaponry (d6)
• Hate the swamp
• Greedy for loot
Marsh Gas [N/A]
4 Explodes (d10 blast)
• Can be ignited by a naked flame
• Flames will glow blue for 2d12
seconds before ignition.
5 Villager Remains [N/A]
Corpse hides a small scorpion (d4)
• Pouch with 2d6 GP
• Gold wedding
band inscribed with
the name ‘Emily’,
worth 15GP.
6 Lost Treasure Chest [N/A]
• Well-made of foreign wood, and
Old Growth (1d6)
locked.
• Contains 5d6 GP. If you roll a
double it also contains a spell, or a relic
on a triple (see Rewards).
1 Debris Elemental [10 HP, 1 armour]
14 STR, 7 DEX, 5 WIL,
Entropic wave (d8 blast)
• An agglomerated mass of stones,
pine needles, fallen branches and dirt.
• Seeks a worthy master (who
respects the forest and its history).
2d6 Forest Goblins [4 HP]
2 8 STR, 12 DEX, 8 WIL,
Wooden spears (d6)
• Engaged in a raucous festival of fire
• Will trade magic for magic
1d8 Rival Feather Hunters[5 HP]
3 12 STR, 12 DEX, 12 WIL,
Re-appropriated militia weapons (d8)
• Paranoid of the forest’s secrets
• Tired but determined
4 2d6 Fairies [2 HP]
3 STR, 16 DEX, 16 WIL,
• Know forest secrets.
• Can fly like a small bird.
• Will quickly spread word of harm
against them, if any escape.
Ripper Swarm [10 HP]
5 7 STR, 12 DEX, 5 WIL,
Bites and stings (d4 blast)
• Will disperse if their hive (in an old
log) is destroyed.
• Will otherwise relentlessly pursue
the party for half a mile.
Standing Stone[N/A]
6 An isolated, ancient place of power,
depicting the richness and bounty of
the forest via crude runes.
• Is already cracked and can be
smashed. Whoever does so will gain a
single re-roll of any die for the next
month, but will earn the forest’s ire.
• Offering food at the altar will
duplicate it overnight.
Giant Arboreal Goose[13 HP]
1 12 STR, 15 DEX, 11 WIL,
Great beak (d10)
• Has become separated from the
flock and is unhappy about it
• Sufficiently powerful to cause
damage by accident or in panic.
1d3 Honey-Mad Bears [7 HP]
2 12 STR, 11 DEX, 8 WIL,
Teeth and claws (d8 dual)
• Driven mad by honey rich in
magical willow pollen (see Point G)
• Currently experiencing the shared
senses of a swarm of bees
• Critical: Attempts to sting using tail
1d6 Rival Feather Hunters[6 HP,
3 1 Armour]
13 STR, 13 DEX, 13 WIL,
Stolen weapons of fine quality (d10)
• Eager to return home.
• They bear the weight of many
feathers, and what they did to obtain
them.
4 2d6 Spore Servants[5 HP]
10 STR,9 DEX, 6 WIL,
Sticks and rocks (d6)
• Do not make morale rolls
• Serve the ineffable whims of the
Eukaryotic Collective (Point H)
• Critical: Return target to the
collective for composting
5 1d4 Giant Weasels [6 HP]
10 STR,13 DEX, 9 WIL,
Teeth and Claws (d8)
• Eager for goose eggs
• Surprisingly intelligent
6 Dead Goose [N/A]
A bounty from above for all scavengers
that dwell within the forest.
• May be plucked for feathers
• Will attract others whilst plucking
is underway
Points of Interest
A: Ganderlook Village
Until recent developments occurred, this
was a poor but stable community subsisting
on fishing and a little tree-felling. Since the
royal decree, an influx of coin from the
feather hunters has divided opinion.
The only tavern is the Golden Goose,
although the only thing golden about it is the
elderly retriever dog watching the procession
of overconfident newcomers from his bed on
the front porch.
Rumours
Generate by rolling 1d6 (1 = false, 2-4 = partly
true, 5-6 = true) and rolling 1d20 to provide
the subject (see table below).
1-4 Roll 1d6 on Huskamolt Swamp
encounters.
5-8 Roll 1d6 on New Forest encounters.
9-12 Roll 1d6 on Old Growth encounters.
13 Method to escape quickmud (Point B)
14 The danger of Old One Eye (Point C)
15 The rewards and risks of the collapsed
barrows (Point D)
16 The history of the Stemwright Stone
Cult (Point E)
17 The answer to the riddle of the Lilac
Meadow (Point F)
18 A tale of the dangers implicit in
gathering honey from Bumblebee Lake
(Point G)
19 A whispered warning that the
Eukaryotic Collective can perceive you
everywhere (Point H)
20 A secret song that will render the
Arboreal Geese temporarily peaceful
and compliant (Point I)
B: Quickmud Expanse
The River Egg’s course is unclear, diverging
through pools and small islands.
True tree cover is intermittent, but tall banks
of reeds and misty weather keep horizon
blurry.
Within this space, some sections of mud are
particularly treachorous, and claim villagers
and forest dwellers alike. This material is
known as quickmud. Signs of its presence:
• Utterly smooth, consistent surface.
• Trails that end suddenly.
• Fruit and berries that are seemingly
accessible but remain unpicked.
Disturbing the surface tension of the mud
will cause it to collapse beneath you. The
Warden should roll a d12 to determine the
depth in feet before you touch solid ground.
Swinging from ropes, very wide rafts, stilts
and building bridges or mats from nearby
vegetation are all local methods employed to
cross quickmud.
C: Fingerbend Ferry
A single rusty iron chain crosses above the
River Egg. There are ruins of wooden
structures at either end.
Pulled up on the western bank, a decrepit,
flat-bottomed ferry boat was clearly once
attached to the chain by some means. If not
repaired, it will have a slow leak.
Within the water lurks Old One Eye, a
crocodile of prodigious size. She will be
disturbed by movement of the water, but can
perceive little beyond it.
Old One Eye [9 HP]
15 STR, 10 DEX, 8 WIL,
Mighty bite (d10)
• Looks like an old log in the water
• Critical: ‘Death roll’ - pulls victim
underwater and rolls on top of them
D: The Scattered Barrows
Until recently, this was a series of burial
mounds dug into the hillside. However, a
recent landslip has scattered them across a
wide area, mixing their contents with dirt
and toppled trees.
A copper bracelet (5 GP) glints with the dew
that has formed on it. It is attached to a
skeletal wrist protruding from the muck.
Others show the Giant Arboreal Geese as the
epitome of strength and size (pictured next
The party may survey and dig for more to a normal goose for scale).
valuables (Warden can roll as many times as A character who performs a feat of strength
seems sensible for the time/effort invested). (succeed on a STR roll) on or near the altar
Roll 1d8: will gain a boon (two extra inventory slots
for the next week).
1 Disturb 2d6 skeletons, nothing but
bones and fury Those that fail gain a point of fatigue.
2 Hole collapse (lose 1d3 STR unless
allies can quickly dig you out)
3 Stone suddenly shifts (roll DEX to
avoid 1d6 damage)
4 Disturb 1d6 skeletons, each with 2d6
GP in broken weapons and grave
goods
5 Jade goose statuette worth 10 GP
F: The Lilac Meadow
6 Clay pot containing 6d6 GP
A large, natural meadow with no trees. There
7 Spell: Featherfall. 50 lbs of feathers
drops on the target, vanishes after 10
are many scattered lilac bushes and a pair of
small springs with water pools.
minutes.
Grazing sheep are visible amongst the
8 Relic: Golden Egg, 2 charges. Charm a bushes. They have the appearance of normal
target who understands the value of sheep but seem to be around the size of cats.
gold. Recharge: Eat one hundred
Approximately 30ft from the treeline, a ring
boiled eggs. of small white mushrooms hiding amongst
the grass marks the boundary of a fey circle.
Ancient Skeleton[5 HP]
9 STR, 9 DEX, 9 WIL, Crossing the circle during the day traps the
trespasser until moonlight next shines upon
Bony hands/broken weapons (d6)
• Does not roll for morale the meadow. It also reveals the illusory
• Understands only ancient language lensing magic at work, as the sheep are in
fact the size of small elephants (and roughly
as dangerous).
Ways to escape the circle early include:
• Being carried by (or clinging to) a giant
sheep (who are not affected by the
circle).
• Answering the fey riddle correctly
(audible as a whisper that grows louder
the more you try to escape)
E: Stemwright Stones • “Runs like water, pale like the moon, when
you’re born you’ll see it soon!” (Answer:
A circle of vertical menhirs around a central,
horizontal altar. All the stones are huge and Milk)
heavy.
There are carvings on the inner surface of
the stones (facing towards the altar)
Some depict feats of strength carried out by
worshippers here (rolling boulders,
wrestling, human pyramids, breaking rocks
with their bare hands).
Points of Interest
G: Bumblebee Lake
A lake approximately half a mile in diameter,
in the centre of which sits a small island.
The island contains only one species of a
tree, a weeping willow with bright yellow
blooms. This tree is encountered nowhere
else in the forest.
When the wind blows, clouds of dark yellow
pollen may be seen to spread from the
willows to the lakeside.
Any creature which inhales the pollen will be
charmed and compelled to swim to the
island. Player characters should make a WIL
save. Many creatures drown on the way due
to cold and exhaustion, whilst those that
survive die of starvation, albeit painlessly.
The remains of previous humanoid visitors
are on the island, or have washed up on its
shore. They are difficult to see from the
perimeter of the lake. A successful
expedition can recover 4d6 GP in assorted
possessions for every 15 minutes spent on
the island.
The only creatures apparently unaffected are
the multiple swarms of bumblebees that dot
the trees around the water. The honey of
these creatures can reduce the effect of the
pollen, especially if smeared around the nose
and mouth, rather than ingested.
H: Eukaryotic Collective
Within an overshadowed section of the
forest a great mass of fungus has been slowly
growing for generations.
It takes the form of banks of cream-coloured
shelf fungi on the sides of trees, forming a
canopy of its own at head height above the
forest floor.
Within this space the following can be
observed:
• The animated remains of various forest
animals and humans tend to the fungus.
• Leaves are brought from elsewhere and
composted in gigantic, sweet-smelling
piles.
• The Collective attempts to communicate
by projecting images into the minds of
visitors.
The Collective is curious about the outside
world, and will ask questions in return for
passage. Its communications will show prior
knowledge of the party, as it has spores
throughout the forest and swamp, all
connected to the same network.
If the fungus is attacked it appears not to
respond. It is however extremely resilient,
gigantic in size and emits enervating spores
as a defence mechanism. Every 10 minutes of
chopping fungus adds 1 fatigue.
I: The Vast White Elms
The tallest and palest trees in the forest are
all elms. This ancient grove has been the
roosting spot of the Giant Arboreal Goose
for hundreds, if not thousands of years.
Unlike their smaller cousins, they nest in the
middle branches of these huge trees,
typically 60ft from ground level. Each mated
pair of geese will produce 2-3 goslings every
5-8 years.
Up to 1d6 slots of feathers may be found by
searching the forest floor beneath the nests.
Additional feathers may be found by braving
the climb to an empty nest. Nests that are
occupied are almost unbeatable, since a
goose will defend its young to the death.
One slot of feathers may be carried
normally. Any subsequent feathers are
considered separate, bulky items.
Each slot of feathers successfully returned to
the royal palace is worth 4d10 GP.
Feathers sold to an intermediary merchant
(likely to be cut with other feathers of lower
quality) are worth 4d6 GP per slot.
Rewards
In addition to specific rewards noted in the
various encounters and points of interest,
the following treasures may be given out as
the Warden sees fit.
Spell: Goose Hiss. A loud hiss echoes
throughout the area whenever enemies are
near, lasts for 4 hours.
Spell: Summon Waterfowl. An assortment of
ducks, coots and normal-sized geese appear
to do your bidding for 1 hour.
Spell: Flushing Dog. A spectral spaniel
charges away from you in a 250ft line. Any
birds (or land animals smaller than a cat) will
flee upwards, climbing as needed.
Relic: Pleasant Breadcrumbs, 3 uses. Lure a
bird to you and keep it docile for 1 minute.
Relic: Feather and Wax Wings, 3 charges.
Allows 10 minutes of flight whilst flapping
madly. Recharge: Drop from 200ft or higher.
Relic: Reciprocal Mushrooms, 2 uses.
Communicate psychically with whoever
shares a meal to which these have been
added, lasts for 1 day.
Relic: Willow Honey, 3 uses. Share your
senses with whoever last held the honey
close to them.
Credits
Words, maps and design are by Martin
Orchard, using Affinity (affinity.serif.com)
throughout with the exception of the map,
made using Wonderdraft (wonderdraft.net).
More adventures, games and tables by
myself can be found at:
pointlessmonument.itch.io
Illustrations are public domain from the
following locations:
oldbookillustrations.com
openclipart.org
oldbookart.com
This adventure is made for the roleplaying
game Cairn, by Yochai Gal. It can be found
at cairnrpg.com
A Map of the Downfall Forest