Chapter 1: The Shadow Over Briarsgate

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Inferno
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Chapter 1: The Shadow Over Briarsgate

#1 Post by Inferno »

Chapter 1: The Shadow Over Briarsgate

In the Flanaess, Autumn draws nigh, a sudden and unwanted reminder of the long, cold death of winter to come.

You’re passing through Hochoch, a dull, lifeless city at the rainy borderlands between Geoff and Gran March, to briefly stop, rest and resupply before you move on.
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There, you find the normally-tedious city gripped in the thrall of one fearful topic. It seemed all men there, from merchant prince to lowly barkeep, have become skittish, gossiping washerwomen; their nervous lips abuzz with anxious, whispered rumors of strange tales about a village called Briarsgate, to the east, beyond the Dim Forest.

“Sinister and mysterious evil is at work in Briarsgate. The village itself is somehow being altered.”

These dread rumors were already well known by some of you. You had all entered Hochoch on a different road, unknowingly sharing the same final destination:
  • The Grey Mouser was passing through Hochoch because his mysterious patron, Sheelba of the Eyeless Face, sent him to investigate the rumors of Briarsgate. Sheelba bribed him with magic potions to use on this mission. “These, I won’t need back.” Perhaps sensing the Mouser’s displeasure at yet another errand, Sheelba added: “A prosperous village has fallen into crisis. Some wealth will be knocked loose, ready to be picked up by the sharp-eyed, industrious opportunist who finds himself in the right place.”

    Grothnak Uthglukh came to Hochoch looking for honorable sword work and adventure. Boy, did he get a bum steer. Realizing his mistake, he was now considering moving on home to the half-orc ghetto slums of Hillhook for a while. Or perhaps to more likely lands for a warrior such as he… This Briarsgate seemed like a town in need of help.

    Hoom Feethos ventured to Hochoch to find a jeweler named Praetorius whom his father had once known, to ask him about the mysterious silver key. Hoom failed to find him, but picked up a lead on his whereabouts from a merchant who knew the man he sought. Through the center of his fat pale jowls, Rundicant the Plump said, “Praetorius 'ad gone to Briarsgate, poor devil! Just before all the troubles started!”

    Ingrid Esthof and Elden Vodarte had come to Hochoch from Geoff, where, after Vodarte had safely settled his family, they had met and hunted fell creatures together. Moving upstream on the rumor-heavy caravan trail, they were slowly closing in on Briarsgate, the latest destination in their solemn quest against the dark hand of supernatural evil that plagued this dire world.

    Long Bo had journeyed to Hochoch from Oyt Wood, at the behest of the old, blind, wise Druid, Elakim the Seer who had requested that Bo venture out into the world of men to track these dark tales to their origin. “I don’t like the look of it. It appears something unnatural threatens the balance. You must peer into it, and if necessary, see to it that the natural order is restored, my son.”
It didn’t take you long to find each other in The Anchor and the Bell, unwelcoming Hochoch’s only inn that would cater to your wretched kind: wandering adventurers, tramps, hobos and other homeless vagabonds.
The Anchor and the Bell.jpg
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Inside the inn, you sup and drink in the chill public room that also holds the barkeeper, the serving wench and seven others that appear to be wandering adventurers or tramps, like yourselves. The hour grows late and the hearth embers die. Outside the inn, the good people of Hochoch are already tucked into their beds, safe against the rain, the cold and other things that weigh fretfully upon their restless brows.
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The 'keeper tolls the bell and his fearful voice trembles, “Last call. Any final wishes?”
DM:
The Horror at Briarsgate (1e): Lovecraftian Gothic Horror (N1, homebrew)
Lost City of Eternity (1e): Hyborian Age Sword and Sorcery (B4, JG102, homebrew)
Once and Future Earth (1e): Post-Apocalyptic Sci-Fi Dungeon Crawl (X1, B1, ASE1, homebrew)
Sauron Victorious (1e): Dire Saga for the Fate of Middle Earth (homebrew)

Player:
Agax Gryyg: Gamer of Urth, Ravenloft
Azoth Al-Aziz: Lovecraftian Cultist, Tamoachan
Blodget: Foolish Young 9th Level Hobbit, Dark Clouds
Dredd Doomsmith: Dwarven Deathtrap Engineer, Tomb of Horrors
Elijah Crowthorne: Marooned Prophet, Pirates
Jack in the Green: Ancient Child, Giants
P.T. Codswallop: Larcenous Impresario, Dimwater
Sir Ugghra: Bestial Half-Orc Aristocrat, Brotherton
Swilbosh: Savage Lizard-Warrior, Keep
Tantos Vek: Failed Paladin, Under Streets
Ulfang Chainbreaker: Barbarian Liberator of Slaves, Tharizdun

DM bio is here.

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Re: Chapter 1: The Shadow Over Briarsgate

#2 Post by OGRE MAGE »

Bo stands up from the table. He towers over the barkeep and straightens his long grey beard. He answers the man in a deep, booming voice.

My final wish would be for you to explain to us what is happening around here that can put such a fear into an entire town, including a grown man such as yourself.

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Re: Chapter 1: The Shadow Over Briarsgate

#3 Post by Fulci »

Ingrid Esthof, cleric and monster hunter

"I see no shame in fear."

A loud and piercing voice sears through the air. It belongs to Ingrid. She sits a few steps away from Bo, with her legs resting upon the table.

"But do tell us, patron, about all that goes down here & at Briarsgate!"
G A M E S :
Running Vaults & Wastelands [Fallout]
Isaiah Bartlett in That Which Should Not Be [CoC]
Ingrid Esthof in The Horror at Briarsgate [1e]
Jónas Gillman in The Sinister Secret of Saltmarsh [1e]

I N A C T I V E : (
Ballar Uh in Dungeonesque [LL/AEC]
Favrick in The Rise of Smaug [BW]

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Re: Chapter 1: The Shadow Over Briarsgate

#4 Post by Mister-Kent »

Vodarte sits next to Ingrid, huddled under his cape holding a mug of ale in both hands. He looks up, solemn as ever, and purses his lips as if he is about to speak. Instead, he lets his fair partner do the talking for them, and continues to drink.
DMing DUNGEONESQUE, LL AEC Gothic-weird fantasy
DMing CAT'S CRADLE, Stars Without Number/Other Dust
Playing
Constance Wyrdweather and Ruwyn Hollowheart in Labyrinth Lord: West Marches Sandbox (LL AEC)
Formerly Numen, Thisby Queller (RIP) and Radiant Olympia (RIP)!
Frekken Ribbitowicz in Mutant Future: Tales from Gam'A Zone (Gamma World)
Anne Summerisle and Gustav the Grasping in Caves of Chaos (LL)
Elden Vodarte in The Horror at Briarsgate (AD&D 1E)
I make the comics and arts! // Tumblr // DeviantArt // EnterVOID

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Re: Chapter 1: The Shadow Over Briarsgate

#5 Post by Grognardsw »

The Grey Mouser, thief
Image

"Tell me of Trithereon," smiles the Mouser to the priestess.

The small grey garbed man makes small talk with the others (particularly Ingrid) in the tavern, learning from where they hail, what they seek, and what the comely cleric likes in her god.

"I am bound for Briarsgate," he says as Ingrid inquires of it with the barkeep.

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Re: Chapter 1: The Shadow Over Briarsgate

#6 Post by Zhym »

Grothnak is content, for the moment, simply to listen.

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Re: Chapter 1: The Shadow Over Briarsgate

#7 Post by Fulci »

Grognardsw wrote:"Tell me of Trithereon," smiles the Mouser to the priestess.

The small grey garbed man makes small talk with the others (particularly Ingrid) in the tavern, learning from where they hail, what they seek, and what the comely cleric likes in her god.

"I am bound for Briarsgate," he says as Ingrid inquires of it with the barkeep.
Ingrid Esthof, cleric

"Trithereon is different. When I turn to him, I don't feel like praying to a god. He's more of a companion, a faithful ally."

Her voice isn't preachy, and it could seem as if she was talking about a close friend. Though when she utters the deity's name, she lightly touches the silver coin-like medallion hanging from her neck.

Image

"Briarsgate seems like a popular location," she smiles. "Funny the locals would rather flee. Any idea why?"
G A M E S :
Running Vaults & Wastelands [Fallout]
Isaiah Bartlett in That Which Should Not Be [CoC]
Ingrid Esthof in The Horror at Briarsgate [1e]
Jónas Gillman in The Sinister Secret of Saltmarsh [1e]

I N A C T I V E : (
Ballar Uh in Dungeonesque [LL/AEC]
Favrick in The Rise of Smaug [BW]

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Re: Chapter 1: The Shadow Over Briarsgate

#8 Post by DadsAngry »

Hoom Feethos (magic-user/thief):

Hoom turns so his long ear is facing the barkeep. He too is headed to Briarsgate and is very interested in hearing this tavern rumor.
Last edited by DadsAngry on Mon Jul 13, 2015 2:54 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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Re: Chapter 1: The Shadow Over Briarsgate

#9 Post by Inferno »

Telkis Brassfang was also in the tavern of the Anchor and the Bell that night. The little gnome warrior had come to Hochoch fresh from the Brassfang Dwarf Clan in a cultural exchange between their two peoples. His training had now entered the “Wander Smack” phase (a term difficult to translate from the Dwarvish) in which he must wander abroad and “put the smack-down” on a number of foes before returning. Quiet Hochoch’s sleepiness has put him way behind on his tally.

Pelias Blanchflower was there as well, taking his supper. The young paladin had just finished his apprenticeship in The Order of the Bridge of Virtue. The stern high priest of his order, Sevaerius, had charged him with his first holy duty, a sacred quest to Briarsgate. “Young Pelias Blanchflower, you are ordered to help the people of that poor beleaguered hamlet. May the one true god look upon your noble efforts and bless them with divine mercy.”

OGRE MAGE wrote:Bo
My final wish would be for you to explain to us what is happening around here that can put such a fear into an entire town, including a grown man such as yourself.
The barkeep replied, "No need to be rude, sir. It’s dark times, ennit? Briarsgate isn’t all that far from here. Stone’s throw, really. What if their troubles spread to Hochoch? Perhaps carried by a merchant caravan, or … some wandering adventurer. No offense, I’m sure.” He quickly busied himself at the bar.

Fulci wrote:Ingrid Esthof, cleric and monster hunter
"I see no shame in fear."
"But do tell us, patron, about all that goes down here & at Briarsgate!"
“'Patron?' Folks ‘round here call me Alfredd, miss. You might as well, too.” He wiped down the bar and continued, happy to talk to a young woman, “Hochoch is a fine, upstanding city. No one wants any troubles here, and that’s all there is to that, if you please.
"But Briarsgate… well that’s another story entirely, I’m afraid."


He started drying and putting away glasses for the night. “Where to start? Briarsgate’s a farming village, at the crossroads of Hochoch, Hookhill and… Shiboleth. It was founded… when?” The barkeep looked at the floor for the answer. “…Was it over a generation ago, Daisy my dear?

Daisy, the large bulky barmaid, nodded her confirmation and said, “Oi, ‘at’s roight.”
Daisy.jpg
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Alfredd continued. “Ye see, back then, explorers reported the land north of the Rushmoors and east of the Dim Forest extremely fertile. Soon after the arrival of many farmer families, the village of Briarsgate was born, named after the dense bramble thickets that surround it, or so I’m told.
"The land proved rich, with crops half again as normal, and word spread. Briarsgate grew into a thriving, successful town of…”
he looked at the ceiling this time. “…over 400 people?"

“Aw! Not 'alf!” said Daisy.

Alfredd shrugged. “In any event, these hardy, frontier farmers organized a well-trained militia to fend off goblin and ogre raids from the Dim Forest. Well, those fell creatures soon learned that Briarsgate was a settlement best left alone. Lately, however, the story turns darker. Ye’ve heard the rumors, miss. Terrible, they are."

“Quite!” said one of the other adventurer-guests of the Anchor and the Bell; a drowsy, white-bearded man with a young, mercurial spirit. “They say the well water at Briarsgate has been poisoned by a rather powerful drug. The poor villagers have gone mad, you see.”

“No,” said a dark, thin spider of a man with a black turban atop his high head. His suspicious eyes slid across the room as he solemnly uttered, “I’ve heard it whispered that a black sorcerer from the Valley of the Mage has moved to the Dim Forest, to work his foul enchantments upon the unsuspecting townsfolk.”

“Och!” rumbled a fat, bald-pated, ginger-bearded dwarf. He squinted one beady little eye as he imparted his sage wisdom on the matter. “I happen to have it on good authority, lads and lasses, that ‘tis the ghosts of slaughtered goblins that haunt Briarsgate, as revenge for their bloody massacre!”

An aloof elf, who moved and spoke like a human, coldly laughed at that one as he returned from the outhouse. “Ghosts, eh? I expect the motives will prove a bit more mundane. Whatever it is, there’s money behind it. There always is. You don’t attack an entire village without profit. Bandits, I hear.”

An eager young hobbit at the bar wiggled his furry toes in anticipation as they dangled from his high stool. He peered around his big tankard and offered, “Beggin’ your pardons. If’n you don’t mind me sayin’ so, I was told that a horrible, no-good, three-headed monster has been stealing the poor children of Briarsgate from their beds at night, and no mistake!” Then he shivered at the thought of it.

Daisy the barmaid couldn’t resist chiming in: “Oi! I ‘ear tell that savage crocodiles ‘ave been straying far north of the Rushmoors! Attackin’ folks an’ drivin’ ‘em off! The swamp is takin’ the town back! Swallowin’ ‘er up whole, it is!”

A large, hairy, well-dressed half-orc looked down his wide nose and proclaimed, “Stuff and Nonsense! I Dare Say, None of You Have The Gist Of It! If I May Be So Bold, Positively Everyone Who is In The Know Recognizes That The Good People of Briarsgate Are Being Replaced! And Their Ghastly ‘Changeling,’ if you will, Can Be Recognized by Two Dread Fang Marks On Their Throat! Rest Assured, You Have It Upon My Word As A Gentleman.”


Each of you had already heard at least one of these unsubstantiated rumors in your short time in the city. It seemed no one didn’t have an opinion about Hochoch’s favorite topic of conversation.
DM:
The Horror at Briarsgate (1e): Lovecraftian Gothic Horror (N1, homebrew)
Lost City of Eternity (1e): Hyborian Age Sword and Sorcery (B4, JG102, homebrew)
Once and Future Earth (1e): Post-Apocalyptic Sci-Fi Dungeon Crawl (X1, B1, ASE1, homebrew)
Sauron Victorious (1e): Dire Saga for the Fate of Middle Earth (homebrew)

Player:
Agax Gryyg: Gamer of Urth, Ravenloft
Azoth Al-Aziz: Lovecraftian Cultist, Tamoachan
Blodget: Foolish Young 9th Level Hobbit, Dark Clouds
Dredd Doomsmith: Dwarven Deathtrap Engineer, Tomb of Horrors
Elijah Crowthorne: Marooned Prophet, Pirates
Jack in the Green: Ancient Child, Giants
P.T. Codswallop: Larcenous Impresario, Dimwater
Sir Ugghra: Bestial Half-Orc Aristocrat, Brotherton
Swilbosh: Savage Lizard-Warrior, Keep
Tantos Vek: Failed Paladin, Under Streets
Ulfang Chainbreaker: Barbarian Liberator of Slaves, Tharizdun

DM bio is here.

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Re: Chapter 1: The Shadow Over Briarsgate

#10 Post by DadsAngry »

Hoom Feethos (magic-user/thief):

Hoom swiftly rises from his seat sending to crashing to the floor and slams his mug of ale on the table with a loud crash.
"Cowards!! Anyone who poisons a village's water source are cowards. I'm traveling to Briarsgate and I will cut down anyone involved in such a cowardly act."

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Re: Chapter 1: The Shadow Over Briarsgate

#11 Post by Grognardsw »

Grey Mouser, rogue

The Grey Mouser smiles mischievously. "Clearly we must stop this black three-headed crocodile sorcerer and his goblin bandit ghost horde from poisoning and body snatching the poor village."

"I'll have another ale."
The Grey Mouser looks at Ingrid's bosom, admiring the curves of her medallion hanging from her neck.

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Re: Chapter 1: The Shadow Over Briarsgate

#12 Post by Fulci »

Ingrid Esthof, cleric & monster hunter

Image

"Just make sure your ale isn't tampered with. Who knows, those three-headed 'gatorchemists might have infiltrated this very inn," Ingrid says to the gray-loving, cleric-ogling stranger.

"Alfredd," she lets out her piercing voice again, "bring us two ales and add them to my tab!"

"Somebody clearly wants to keep folks away from Briarsgate, that was some exquisite choir of gossip we just witnessed here. Keep normal folks away, but lure the adventuring kind, huh," she adds, looking around the room, pausing at the loud & mighty Hoom. "He clearly cannot stand well-poisoners. Or cannot stand strong liqueur!!"

Ingrid's speech has a peculiar slant to it: she mixes common low-brow words with almost scholarly ones, and an attentive listener might pick up a hint of the dialect of those small villages up north.

She turns away from the Mouser for a second to her silent companion, Vodarte.

"What's your take? Fancy another mug of Alfredd's brew?"
G A M E S :
Running Vaults & Wastelands [Fallout]
Isaiah Bartlett in That Which Should Not Be [CoC]
Ingrid Esthof in The Horror at Briarsgate [1e]
Jónas Gillman in The Sinister Secret of Saltmarsh [1e]

I N A C T I V E : (
Ballar Uh in Dungeonesque [LL/AEC]
Favrick in The Rise of Smaug [BW]

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Re: Chapter 1: The Shadow Over Briarsgate

#13 Post by Zhym »

Grothnak Uthglukh, half-orc warrior

"We'll get no answers here," declares Grothnak. He downs the rest of his ale in one gulp and slaps the empty flagon onto the bar. "Let's go to Briarsgate and find out for ourselves what's going on."

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Re: Chapter 1: The Shadow Over Briarsgate

#14 Post by OGRE MAGE »

Bo
Druid


Bo listens to the cacophony of rumors and opinions while he sips his spiked tea. He periodically tosses some breadcrumbs over his shoulder and into his cloaks downed hood.

Dare I say, I must agree with Mr. Ugth....Ugkt.....with Grothnak on this one.

We won't find the truth here. We must go see for ourselves the fate of the victims......and the fate of us.

I say we discuss plans now for an early morning departure. The sooner we arrive, the sooner we can put a stop to whatever menace plagues the poor place.

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Re: Chapter 1: The Shadow Over Briarsgate

#15 Post by Mister-Kent »

Vodarte, monster-huntin' ranger
Fulci wrote:Ingrid Esthof, cleric & monster hunter
"What's your take? Fancy another mug of Alfredd's brew?"
Vodarte finishes his mug just in time for Ingrid's question. He taps his long, bony finger on the stein and a smile slowly creeps across his face. "Yessum, if you please."

Once he has his ale replenished, he raises it to Ingrid, and then to the other thrillseekers in the room. "My take is: Briarsgate is far too interesting to be left alone. We've seen strange things together, Ingrid. But the things they speak of at Briarsgate, surely can't half be true. So I say we go suss out the truth from wive's tales...
DMing DUNGEONESQUE, LL AEC Gothic-weird fantasy
DMing CAT'S CRADLE, Stars Without Number/Other Dust
Playing
Constance Wyrdweather and Ruwyn Hollowheart in Labyrinth Lord: West Marches Sandbox (LL AEC)
Formerly Numen, Thisby Queller (RIP) and Radiant Olympia (RIP)!
Frekken Ribbitowicz in Mutant Future: Tales from Gam'A Zone (Gamma World)
Anne Summerisle and Gustav the Grasping in Caves of Chaos (LL)
Elden Vodarte in The Horror at Briarsgate (AD&D 1E)
I make the comics and arts! // Tumblr // DeviantArt // EnterVOID

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Re: Chapter 1: The Shadow Over Briarsgate

#16 Post by ChubbyPixie »

Telkis Brassfang, Gnome Fighter

Telkis had anticipated another dull night at the tavern, but his ears perk up at the sudden talk of trouble. He trundles from his corner table over to the bar and climbs a barstool, plopping himself down next to the young hobbit who spoke of the three headed monster, giving him a nod of solidarity, one little guy to another. "Three headed monster, you say? You have that on fact, do you? I never heard tell of such a thing. Still, I hope your version of events proves the truth in this instance. I'd like to see such a thing. For variety." He smiles widely revealing a set of brass choppers and smacks the halfling good-naturedly on the back. Then taking in the adventuring types nearby he says "The name's Telkis, my fellows. I'm not sure which of ye are travellin together and which are not, but I'd wager I could be of use to a party heading to this Briarsgate. My Cranach packs a wallop," he says indicating the morningstar propped near the door. "I've been known to knee-cap a fool who deserved it, have he three heads or just the one. Furthermore, I don't take up a lot of space... which is a jocular reference to my diminutive size. I recon I could hitch a ride in the big guy's backpack over there. He seems ready to go." he says, looking in Hoom's direction.

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Re: Chapter 1: The Shadow Over Briarsgate

#17 Post by DadsAngry »

Hoom Feethos:

After the gnome finished his speech, Hoom noticed that the gnome was looking right at him. Surely he doesn't think that I am the one to carry him? Hoom glance behind his back hoping for a much larger figure to be standing near.

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Re: Chapter 1: The Shadow Over Briarsgate

#18 Post by ChubbyPixie »

Telkis Brassfang, Gnome Warrior
DadsAngry wrote:Hoom Feethos:

After the gnome finished his speech, Hoom noticed that the gnome was looking right at him. Surely he doesn't think that I am the one to carry him? Hoom glance behind his back hoping for a much larger figure to be standing near.
Noticing the troubled look on Hoom's face, Telkis adds "You seem reluctant! I'm really but a wisp of a thing. Perhaps I could climb in the pack of the really big guy... goodness sakes that man is large." He seems to fully take in Bo's size for the first time.
Ha, sorry, DadsAngry. I got the names confused. I meant to point at Bo the first time. Still, you're all big to Telkis. :)

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Re: Chapter 1: The Shadow Over Briarsgate

#19 Post by Inferno »

ChubbyPixie wrote:Telkis Brassfang, Gnome Fighter
"Three headed monster, you say? You have that on fact, do you?"
The young hobbit nodded rapidly, "Oh yes sir, master gnome, sir! It's the truth! The stranger who told me swore that it was!"


The unlikely company decided to set out together at dawn for Briarsgate to investigate these disturbing rumors.

Half the adventurers in The Anchor And The Bell declined to join the expedition to Briarsgate:
    • The dark, turbaned cleric said, “Briarsgate sounds far too dangerous. But I’ve heard that a castle keep at the borderlands south of here is plagued by a nearby goblin cave.”

      “A keep? At the borderlands? I love that modu… er, that is to say, I should be delighted to discover what unexpected surprises lay in store for us!” said the white-bearded game mage.

      “Och. P’raps there’ll be traps, or what passes for traps in a goblin hole,” rumbled the dwarven trapsmith in eager anticipation.

      “A Castle Sounds Much More To My Liking Than Some Backwater Town of Pig Farmers,” sniffed the half-orc aristocrat. “Who Would Willingly Visit Such a Place?”

      “I-I would like to go to the keep too!” said the young hobbit. “If’n you’ll have me, that is!”

      The joyless, man-like elven rogue smirked,“Sounds good. If we work it right, the lord of the keep might pay us in advance to loot a goblin cave.”

Alfredd trembled to the Briarsgate party, “I wish you luck, good sirs and miss, I do. I hope you can put an end to the troubles of Briarsgate, and stop them from spreading to here.”

“Pelor watch over ye, my dearies,” disgorged Daisy.


At dawn, the group met at the town gate (point 8 on the Hochoch map, below), and made their way south down and around the wall to the Realstream ferry (point 10).
City of Hochoch.jpg
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It was sunny, there was a pleasant breeze on the river, and logs were being floated downstream. (please deduct 1 sp each to cross)
On the ferry crossing, the group looked at the map in the morning light.
Map to Briarsgate.jpg
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The map’s scale was 30 leagues per hex. One could make 30-60 leagues a day on foot, depending on trail conditions and weather. Elden Vodarte and Long Bo smelled rain on the wind. The journey would likely take 4 or 5 days.
A caravan track set out from Hochoch and went due east to Briarsgate, and then on, north and east, to Hookhill. Before reaching Briarsgate, the thin trail cut through the narrow finger of woods in the southeast region of the Dim Forest.

From Hochoch’s far shore, you begin on the clean, dry caravan trail. You move past neat, orderly, handsome farms that slowly dwindle, and finally fall away. The pace, the noise, and the stench of the city are behind you now and you soon settle into the slower rhythm of nature, with long stretches of quiet on flat, grassy plains sparsely dotted with large cottonwood trees just starting to shed their leaves.

The sun sets and you make camp beneath a crisp night sky swarming with distant stars. Vodarte catches two brace of coneys. The fresh, cool air makes for restful sleeping, between your night watch shifts. Hoom's sharp eyes see a falling star.

In the morning, clouds roll in and with them a cold steady rain. Mist rises and the day passes peacefully enough through this uninhabited region, with no untoward experiences. Strangely, you encounter no one on this merchant trail. Perhaps the rumors of Briarsgate have stopped the caravan traffic.

At sundown on the second day of the journey, beneath the darkening sky, through the rain and the pale white mist, you can see the dark, looming tendril edge of the Dim Forest, where it reaches out to cross your path.

Image
DM:
The Horror at Briarsgate (1e): Lovecraftian Gothic Horror (N1, homebrew)
Lost City of Eternity (1e): Hyborian Age Sword and Sorcery (B4, JG102, homebrew)
Once and Future Earth (1e): Post-Apocalyptic Sci-Fi Dungeon Crawl (X1, B1, ASE1, homebrew)
Sauron Victorious (1e): Dire Saga for the Fate of Middle Earth (homebrew)

Player:
Agax Gryyg: Gamer of Urth, Ravenloft
Azoth Al-Aziz: Lovecraftian Cultist, Tamoachan
Blodget: Foolish Young 9th Level Hobbit, Dark Clouds
Dredd Doomsmith: Dwarven Deathtrap Engineer, Tomb of Horrors
Elijah Crowthorne: Marooned Prophet, Pirates
Jack in the Green: Ancient Child, Giants
P.T. Codswallop: Larcenous Impresario, Dimwater
Sir Ugghra: Bestial Half-Orc Aristocrat, Brotherton
Swilbosh: Savage Lizard-Warrior, Keep
Tantos Vek: Failed Paladin, Under Streets
Ulfang Chainbreaker: Barbarian Liberator of Slaves, Tharizdun

DM bio is here.

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OGRE MAGE
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Re: Chapter 1: The Shadow Over Briarsgate

#20 Post by OGRE MAGE »

Bo, Druid

The tall ovate has felt much more at peace out here in the wild for these last two days. He gets to know the ranger a bit when he can, asking about lands he has yet to traverse.

When the group reaches the forest, Bo lets Sephus out of his hood and the crow flies up above the treetops. Bo takes in a deep breath and closes his eyes for a while.

There is evil in this wood. We can't let our guard down just because there is a trail to follow. There is a reason we have not encountered anyone else out here, after all.

Perhaps we should camp and cross through in the daylight?

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