*Edit: Updated based on feedback below
Player: Melcar (SkunkD)
Rumor: A small fishing/farming village (Parver Hill) located down the Serpent river from Sasanopa (North-East across the Throal Mountain range from Throal) is being ravaged by what appears to be the local migratory birds. At least, that's what the evidence points towards. Fields are being torn apart, livestock have gone missing, even the fish avoid this part of the river. The only clues that have been found recently are a few feathers and some odd prints on the river banks. Oh, there is also the horrible noise that happens some nights that keeps all the villagers inside their houses too scared to check on their livestock. Whenever this noise is heard, the villagers know that something will be missing in the morning.
Despite the village's request to Sasanopa or Marrek for help, none have come to their aid. Their last option was to send a runner to Throal looking for help.
The town can be reached easiest by traveling North West to Sasanopa and then catching a boat down the Serpent. There is supposedly an alternate route through the mountains along an old trade route that the town had established with Throal prior to the Scourge. This route was lost during the Scourge, and who knows what manner of beasts have taken home along it let alone what state it might be in and where it might be found today.
Location: 45.06
Circle: 2M
Reward:
50% price reduction on circle advancement (a one-time thanks from the various adventuring guilds since the resources aid so many adventurers)
Benefit: The village harvests the exotic Tanniper Berries which grow on on viciously barbed thorny bushes that mostly grow atop the ridges of the surrounding landscape and are used for many things alchemical, alcoholic and culinary. A pre-Scourge feud with one of the trade guilds in Throal ruined any direct import from Parver Hill (not to mention being 100% cut off from connection to Throal once the Scourge hit). Surely, this feud has been forgotten by all though...
Notable NPCs:
Turfus Shadowview is a dwarven thief adept (or perhaps just really good at sticking to the shadows) who was hired to carry the request for aid to Throal. His journey to Throal was by way of the Serpent River, through Sosanopa and along the main road to Throal.
Resolved (2M): A Monster Most Fowl
Moderator:etherial
Last edited by SkunkD on Wed Feb 23, 2022 6:30 pm, edited 2 times in total.
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Re: Rumor (2M): A Monster Most Fowl
I hope you forgive me, but I am going to critique the rumor.
I think you have too much stuff in it.
First, you do remember that Throal only opened it's gates 9 years ago, and that most places opened them much later?
I fail to see how a village could be founded, develop an industry big enough to support a trade route, a trade route being established and become well used, and then a disagreement, and the trade route being abandoned and overgrown all in less than 9 years. I mean it could, but nothing in that could ever be described as happening "long ago".
Suggest get rid of all mention of the long ago feud as all participants would be long dead. Simply say that there was a trade route prior to the scourge.
Or alternativly, make it a very recent feud. But remember that there were absolutely no relations between the two populations between 9 and 300 years ago.
Also, I would think that shipping upriver and walking from Sossanopa would be much quicker, easier, and cheaper than traveling though the mountains. The one hex = one days walking is along flat roads. Mountain trails usually take much more than one hex per day. I am not saying that a trade route could not make sense. I am just saying that it probably would not save VERY much time over just going around the mountains. I can see that people living on the north side of the mountains might want a trade/travel route that did not involve going upriver, but it would probably be only personal travel or very light goods. And like I said, it makes most sense to make it a pre-scourge route that modern people want reopened.
For the sake of this rumor. Make it clear that this rumor has to do with the livestock deaths. Possibly, maybe just mention the old trade route though the mountains as a possible additional rumor that some (higher circle) group might want to tackle later. But I don't see the old trade route having anything to do with THIS adventure, and thus probably ought to be left out of this rumor entirely. Post a new rumor just for that.
The NPCs are not really part of the rumor ether (except maybe Turfus, who brought word to Throal). If you want to develop NPCs this way, I suggest you ask to become a GM, and then you can further develop Parver Hill add all the NPCs that you want.
I think you have too much stuff in it.
First, you do remember that Throal only opened it's gates 9 years ago, and that most places opened them much later?
I fail to see how a village could be founded, develop an industry big enough to support a trade route, a trade route being established and become well used, and then a disagreement, and the trade route being abandoned and overgrown all in less than 9 years. I mean it could, but nothing in that could ever be described as happening "long ago".
Suggest get rid of all mention of the long ago feud as all participants would be long dead. Simply say that there was a trade route prior to the scourge.
Or alternativly, make it a very recent feud. But remember that there were absolutely no relations between the two populations between 9 and 300 years ago.
Also, I would think that shipping upriver and walking from Sossanopa would be much quicker, easier, and cheaper than traveling though the mountains. The one hex = one days walking is along flat roads. Mountain trails usually take much more than one hex per day. I am not saying that a trade route could not make sense. I am just saying that it probably would not save VERY much time over just going around the mountains. I can see that people living on the north side of the mountains might want a trade/travel route that did not involve going upriver, but it would probably be only personal travel or very light goods. And like I said, it makes most sense to make it a pre-scourge route that modern people want reopened.
For the sake of this rumor. Make it clear that this rumor has to do with the livestock deaths. Possibly, maybe just mention the old trade route though the mountains as a possible additional rumor that some (higher circle) group might want to tackle later. But I don't see the old trade route having anything to do with THIS adventure, and thus probably ought to be left out of this rumor entirely. Post a new rumor just for that.
The NPCs are not really part of the rumor ether (except maybe Turfus, who brought word to Throal). If you want to develop NPCs this way, I suggest you ask to become a GM, and then you can further develop Parver Hill add all the NPCs that you want.
Re: Rumor (2M): A Monster Most Fowl
Will adapt an adventure from this with a twist or two to things ![Wink ;)](./images/smilies/icon_e_wink.gif)
GM: Drew
![Wink ;)](./images/smilies/icon_e_wink.gif)
GM: Drew