RHoD Sidequests - The Blackens

RHoD Masterpost

Hey folks!

Today we're going to be talking about the sidequests/sandbox elements for The Blackfens! I actually already added the Document to the bigger Sandbox post (sorry for the delays, I was waiting to flesh out the last section), and will let it speak for itself mechanically, but I want to add some more context and fiction here.

Let's jump in!

Lannikar's Funeral

I wanted to flesh out Lannikar's Funeral to help it feel like more of an event. The Document has details about the preparation quest, but here's more info on how I planned the funeral itself!

Flowers for Lannikar!

The PCs can help the Elves prepare by gathering hallucinogenic Moonflowers that the Elves burn as part of the ritual, one for each of the four winds. Many elves will inhale the fumes to more vividly recall their memories of their fallen comrades.

Funeral Planning

I'm using the Alexandrian's Party Planning scenario structure!

Locations:

• The main dance circle around the pyre
• The food table off to the side 
• The Hall of Ancestors (several people move to the 1st floor meeting hall)
• The House of the Speaker (Sellyria pulls people aside for
• PCs can pretty easily use other locations in town, have private convos in the woods, etc.

Guest List: The 4 leaders and any companions. I'm going to write out what's true for my party, but you should adjust certain details (such as how they feel about the PCs currently or what companions are with them) based on what's true for your group!

• Killiar Arrowswift, Battlehunter. (Young, Daring, Moody)
• Relationship: Impressed with PC's power, but not their (lack of) clarity of purpose.
• Reactions: Quickly changes the conversation from Lannikar whenever he's brought up. 
• Delving Deeper: the two of them were casual lovers!
• Clues: Has been tracking the Harrowblades, and knows a lot about them. Knows rough numbers of the external defenders of Rhest, including the dragon.
• Relevant History: Hates humans for their cowardice. Lannikar's lover.
• Sellyria Starsinger, Speaker. (Ancient, Calm, Wise)
• Relationship: Still analyzing the PCs.
• Triggered Action: Later in the evening, will call the Bard into her chamber, watch her closely, and reveal that she is her Grandma / tell that whole backstory! (Lars Ulverth married Sellyria's daughter / the Bard's mom, Elaenaril. When the Gnolls of the Endless Plains summoned a great storm and attacked, killing Elaenaril, Lars tried to send his men to safety while going to help her, but failed, injured himself badly [leading to his limp], and barely survived. The elves all thought he abandoned her on purpose.)
• Relevant History: The Bard's Grandma!
• Trellara Nightshadow, High Singer. (Young, Grieving, Veangeful)
• Relationship: Awkward around Elara until she breaks the ice, then grateful for her consolation the night before.
• Reactions: Gets quiet and sad when Lannikar is brought up, and then after a minute or two says something scarily violent (e.g. "I only regret that I could not tear out its tongue myself for tasting my brother." or "Those hobgoblins better not cross my path or I will gut them from top to bottom - then we'll see who's laughing.")
• Triggered Action: As High Singer, she is meant to transition the party from the Dancing to the Storytelling with a ballad about Lannikar's life, but she falters, choked up by grief. Can the PCs encourage/support her enough to help her continue?
• Triggered Action: At the end of the funeral, she asks the party to join her if they helped her, or heads off on her own to Rhest if they don't.
• Relevant History: Lannikar's sister.
• Illian Snowmantle, Acolyte. (Old, Serious, Thoughtful)
• Relationship: Has never met the PCs
• Reactions: Strongly disapproves with suggestions of violence.
• Triggered Action: Illian arrives partway through the dancing, and is immediately pulled aside by Sellyria to catch up. If PCs eavesdrop, she is catching him up on their actions and recent goings-on.
• Phinnick. Companion. (Young, Skittish)
• Relationship: Has been travelling with the party since Plaguestone. He is currently very uncertain of whether he should continue with the party - there's been a lot of casual racism towards him from NPCs that the PCs haven't really helped with (even emotionally), and the party don't engage with him much or respect his abilities.
• Reactions: Jumpy overall, especially around the Marsh Witch (he is strongly contemplating joining those folks there).
• Triggered Action: When the PCs begin to set off, he will express that he's not sure what he adds to the team, and wonders whether he should just stay home. He wants the PCs to beg him to come with them and point out that he's a valued member of the team, but if they don't he will drift farther away from them. (Spoilers, they didn't! It was really sad.)
• Relevant History: His family fled from the Kulkor Zhul when they started internally cleansing the Goblin Clans of anyone disloyal and consolidating control. He was poorly treated for being a Goblin by most, though not all, people in Plaguestone. It's been really hard for him to be around so many people who are so single-mindedly anti-Goblin/Hobgoblin, and constantly fighting them, even if he agrees the Kulkor Zhul suck.

Topics of Conversation

• Harrowblades
• Combat details: Acid breath, Spring attack. Silver and Holy do more damage.
• Praising PCs for killing one! / Asking Qs
• Speculating on origins - fiendish! ritual?
• The Red Hand / Rhest
• (what rumors are available?) ...
• Black Dragon, obviously, but someone riding it...
• Ogres & Hobgoblins on the rooftop (I added some Hobgoblin Minions, don't mention them if you don't)
• Belltower with Archers
• The War in the South
• Tales of smoke in the distance, but still far off (the first fire was about a week ago, there hasn't been a second big one yet)
• The Iruxi (Lizardfolk)
• What's up with the Iruxi/Lizardfolk? (Hints that they might be separable)
• Previous relations were good... They're not sure what happened

Event Sequence

• Initial Ceremony
• The elves set Lanikar on a pyre with the 4 flowers on each
• They light it with flashes of magic
• It will burn all night, and inhaling the smoke gives you Visions of Memories
• Dance under the Stars
• Starts with Trellara trying to sing a ballad, but she falters out of grief on the first line. Can the PCs help support her enough that she can continue?
• Arrival of Illian Snowmantle
• Storytelling (stories of loss and refinding)
• Killian tells a story of falling in love with Lanikar, thinking he was in love with someone else, but then rekindling their connection one rainy night of patrolling
• Most are like pretty mundane - some lost loves, some lost items, etc.
• PCs can earn Alliance Points by hitting a DC 20 storytelling check (performance or something related to the subject). 1 on success, 2 on a crit.
• Sellyria ends with the story of the death of her daughter, leading into a private conversation with Elara.
• Final Conversations
• Trellara Seeks Revenge! If the PCs consoled her OR helped her successfully sing her ballad, she asks to come with them! Otherwise, she strikes out on her own and the other elves don't notice she's gone until the next day.
• Sellyria takes Elara aside. Explains Backstory!  It was Gnolls raiding from the Endless Plains (the same ones who are fucking people over there now) who destroyed the village to the North of the Blackfens! There was a soft alliance with Brindol at the time, as they had encampments there to protect trade, so the elves left the village underdefended — and the humans broke their oath and did not come to the elves aid! (the Gnolls summoned a powerful storm and the captain who received the Elves’ sending, Lars Ulverth decided to prioritize the safety of his own men rather than risk sending them to aid the Elves). Her mother, Elaenaril, must've put her on an owl to flee before the storm hit!

Rescue the Hatchlings

The Harrowblades are grown from Iruxi eggs, stolen and twisted by foul magic. The Iruxi are enthralled by both fear and awe, but many of them yearn in secret for an end to their enslavement and the corruption of their young.

This quest is significant to me because it helps paint the Iruxi as real people acting rationally, not mindless monsters worthy only of death.

An interesting thing happened in my game, where the party Sorcerer fireballed all the eggs but didn't do enough damage to destroy many of them, and then later was trying to advocate for destroying all the eggs on the basis that "they will grow up to fight us later." Thankfully, the rest of the party talked him out of it, as it certainly would've made this next bit even worse.

As the party was leaving, the Iruxi surrounded and confronted them over the above fireballing, as well as their stealing of their rafts and some totally unnecessary ransacking of Iruxi huts during their initial scouting (I think the PCs were thinking "let's make their lives difficult" without really thinking through the why, and basically destroyed their hammocks/furniture/etc. for no reason). Matilde was with them (see below - I figured it made sense that she was on good terms with them, and she was nearby after she saved the party from Renard, and then they saved her by healing her wounds).

Negotiating with the Iruxi

This is how I introduced things in my session notes:

You huddle on your shaky raft, surrounded by a low fog filled with a dozen boats full of Iruxi, all silently watching you. Among them is Matilde, sitting stiffly yet comfortably, and on a separate boat the Mind Bender, bound and gagged. “It seems like it went well then?” Matilde asks. If the PCs confirm that the Lords are dead or driven off… She turns to the Iruxi beside her, and says in an almost ritualistic voice, “See your oppressors are slain, why would you take up arms against their slayers?” To which the Iruxi respond “because they ransacked our things, stole our rafts, attacked the Great Black One, and tried to burn our young. We demand satisfaction.” 

This plays out using the negotiation rules. Starting details: Interest 2, DC 20, Patience 3

• Interest 0 - They attack immediately, and Matilde will (sadly) join them!*
• Interest 1 - They attack if they hit Patience 0.*
• Interest 2 - They will let the PCs go, but only after demanding both some material tribute and taking their rafts (making them swim - this will take a long time, and might be dangerous)!
• Interest 3 - They will let the PCs go, but only after demanding material tribute.
• Interest 4 - They let the PCs go.
• Interest 5 - They let the PCs go, and guide them safely back to Starsong Hill (no encounter checks on the way back, and save time keeping watch at night)!

They also have Nurklenak prisoner! They can either give him justice themselves, or let the PCs interrogate him. At Interest 3+, they might ask the PCs what they think, or the PCs can bring him up themselves.

*If the Iruxi do attack the PCs, they will try to stabilize them post-fight (in part on Matilde's behalf) in order to trade them to the elves for favor.

I probably should have written out Motivations and Pitfalls, but instead I just treated any responses that respected the Iruxi as people with their own culture/traditions as good, and any that obviously disrespected them as bad.

It ended up going good! The players basically realized that they'd been dicks, dropped their weapons to the ground, apologized profusely, and came away with a very different opinion of the Iruxi than they'd had previously. See this essay for a little more detail.

Dueling In The Dark

Two knights stalk each other through the muck. They are siblings: Matilde the Bold, and Renard the Cunning. After watching countless friends die in the Goblindblood Wars, Renard became obsessed with immortality, and alerted the Ghostlord of the impending attack in exchange for immortality. Instead he became an undead monstrosity, and his sister swore vengeance against him.

The two have battled many times over the years. Every time, either Matilde wins, but cannot finish him off, or Renard wins, but cannot bring himself to slay his sister. They both tire of this, but neither can give it up unless the cycle is broken.

More specifically, I think Renard didn't knowingly betray his brothers in arms. I think he believed his own hype too much, and thought he could trick the Ghostlord into giving him immortality by delaying the Hellriders, but ultimately letting them still destroy him. Or else convince them not to.

In terms of Destroying Renard, the Elves will likely point towards the Ghostlord (if Matilde tells folks that that's who created him), as should anyone other than Immerstal (who would instead suggest paying him to destroy it).

In terms of Redeeming Renard, I'm not sure what it would take! But I think Matilde would try to get the PCs to try if they have a good relationship. You could turn it into an impromptu Negotiation - DC 25, Interest 0, Patience 2 (or 3 if Matilde is present) - or handle it more narratively.

Becoming the Hunted

One of the PCs old allies is summoned as an undead and set to hunt them! For me, it was Captain Soranna, who the party left to die as they fled Drellins Ferry when Ozyrrandion attacked (they'd failed to catch the Black Viper earlier that day, had already gotten several townsfolk killed, most notably Kellen Shadowbanks, and were pretty low on spells).

Mechanics in the doc, but I wrote some things to make sure I hit the evocative notes I wanted to! Bullet points because trying to make myself write prose led to delays:

Physical Description of Soranna and her new undead Wyvern:

• Before they see her: Creaking bones and a gust of wind from behind
• The Drake Skeleton:
• A massive draconic form, rotting membranes stretched between rotting wings - barely keeping it aloft.
• Serpentine movements and bestial fury.
• Soranna:
• Riding proudly and comfortably, glowing green eyes, long.
• What little flesh still remains is rotted and desiccated. Several chunks have been ripped off or dissolved entirely, revealing mostly empty bones beneath.
• The colors of Drellins Ferry, with her Captain's badge.
• A lance made of bone, and a banded iron shield.

Note: I'd probably give Soranna a normal Perception, say +10, though her Orders will lead her to the PCs regardless so she'll find them either way.

Cut Scene of Soranna's undead awakening - she can either tell this story, or a player could see it in a flashback using object reading or to represent something more narrative. Maybe the party sees it if the Orders are destroyed?

• Darkness. Dry heat.
• The sounds of sand being shaken out of shaggy fur.
• Three voices:
• A high, sing-songy voice, quick with a quip (Wyrmlord Ulwai).
• A dry voice that sounds like a low wind through a desert cavern, filled with disdain (Ghostlord).
• A gruff, angry voice, almost barking (Wyrmlord Koth).
• Overheard dialogue:
• Angry voice: I cannot hunt them myself, High Wyrmlord Azarr Kul has ordered me back to the front to prove my worth after the bridge fell. But this one knows them, she can find their scent, be our little bloodhound.
• Sing-songy voice: Doesn't seem like she has much blood left - or flesh for that matter, after the dragon's poison ran its course.
• Dry voice: No matter. She will not serve us willingly, but I can bind her to their trail. She will not rest until she or they have fallen. But this will cost you further.
• Angry voice: Do not forget, we hold your Soul hostage. You will build us as many armies or servants as we ask, or we will feed that soul to the Queen of Chaos. You - The voice devolves into a horrible, choking coughing fit as the room grows deadly cold.
• Dry voice: I am not some slave to be trifled with. We have struck a bargain. You will have your army, if you keep up your end. Do not be so quick to prove yourself untrustworthy.
• Sing-songy voice: Oh of course, your greatness, pay no attention to this fool. We would not dream of double-crossing you! Your Soul Cage is kept nice and safe, and we will return it to you upon the War's end. Now, we have retained your services until that time, but we can discuss some small additional favor if you so desire.
• The occult binding is completed, flashes of green cutting through the darkness. A scroll is pressed into her hand.
• The dry voice speaks within her mind: With this scroll I bind you to the hunt. You will not rest, you will not stop, you cannot perish until your quarry is slain. Go now, live again, and strike true!

That's all for now folks! I'll be back soon with some Brindol sidequests, including a hellish circus and vampires stalking the night!