Hero Wars
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Temple at FerodaBy Marc Willner, converted to Hero Wars by David Millians.
Fan art by Juha Harju.
Dramatis PersonaeA CRIERGLURF, River Lord of Zola Fel Walk-on adventurers Merchants and Consumers of Pavis Phinphobs Auxilius, Lunar Commander Five Lunar Antelope Lancer troops Ghost Alpha male baboon Three dominant male baboons Six lesser male and female baboons Broo Thief Six other broos Two ogres
Act I - The HiringScene 1 - A WaterfrontENTER CRIER in a blue cape.CRIER: The priests of Zola Fel, most august and glorious god of the River of Cradles, seek folk desiring employment. Interested parties are to assemble at the cult's wharf at the third hour past noon on Waterday next. The CRIER knows no details beyond the content of the message.
EXIT: CRIER Scene 2 - The Zola Fel wharfA crowd of twenty to thirty adventurers stand around.ENTER: GLURF, a large fish with a blue collar. He will stay in the water. GLURF: Attention, attention. ad lib introduction We wish to hire folk to recover something left at the original temple of the cult near Corflu. (EXIT 3-5 people) Ad lib story of bunging of Corflu and of the giants' revenge from the history of Pavis. (EXIT 3-5 more people) The cult will provide transportation down river to a point nearest the old temple. You will then walk or ride to the old temple, (EXIT 4-10 more people) recover the artifact, and return it to the temple at the mouth of the river. (EXIT 3-5 more) There will be certain conditions placed on your conduct, as this is a holy quest. (EXIT remaining adventurers, except for the heroes) Ah, I see we have eliminated the button makers! Ad lib hero Response: So you have - how much is it worth to you? GLURF ad lib reply unless given later: We are willing to pay 3000L to the group that retrieves the artifact; 100L will be given in advance for expenses. Hero Response: We want more. (The cult will go as high as 5000L.) GLURF: Now that the sordid details are out of the way, let us get to business. The old temple is located in the dead city of Feroda, west along the coast from Corflu. It can be located by the mooring post, where the temple boat was moored. The post was made of enchanted ironwood, so it should still stand. The post is at the Southeast corner of the building, which was originally underwater. The building was three times the height of a man. The mooring post was even taller. The item we want should be in the corner nearest the post. Hero Response: Any other descriptions or conditions? GLURF ad lib reply: This being a holy mission, killing is to be kept to a minimum, excluding things of chaos of course. You cannot drink anything but water while on the quest. Once you find the artifact, it must be inundated with water and kept as wet as possible. I hope you will see fit to follow these conditions, because if you don't, you won't get paid. Are there any more questions? Hero Response: Further questions, if any. GLURF ad lib reply from the following information:
Glurf, River Lord of Zola FelKeywords: Zola Fel Water Folk 5w2, River Lord of Zola Fel 10w2, Devotee of Zola Fel 5w2Significant Abilities: Swim 10w3, Bargain 15, Zola Fel Lore 5w2, Know River Beast 5w2, Know River Plant 5w2, Riverspeech 10w, Old Pavic 20, Pavic 15 Flaws: He's a fish. Armor: scales^5 Hero Points: 5
Affinities:
Water feats (5w2)
Movement feats (10w)
Fertility feats (10w)
Harmony feats (20) Act II - Equipping The River TripScene 1 - Pavis MarketsThe heroes equip themselves with anything they think they might need on the trip.Scene 2 - On a flatboat on the River of CradlesThe trip down river should be uneventful, unless the narrator has something he wishes to stage. The party will be dropped off on the western shore of the river delta and pointed towards Feroda.Act III - The Trip Across The PlainsScene 1 - Morning of the second dayA perception ability can note the approach of a small troop of Antelope Lancers. Their commander hails the hero.ENTER LUNAR PATROL, six antelope lancers The patrol is stationed at Corflu. They are tired and surly. Unless a good answer is given to their inquiries about activity, reason for being together, destination, and such, they will harass and molest the party for the fun of it. They will not attack unless attacked. Good answers include merchants going to trade with the tribes and little else. The patrol knows nothing about the temple.
Phinphobs Longhead, Antelope Lancer CommanderPhinphobs is a commander in a company of Antelope Lancers stationed in Corflu. He is over the age of retirement and is waiting for the next caravan to the Empire so he can return home. He is unwilling to do anything likely to get himself killed before then. His men are typical soldiers and are also willing to keep out of trouble. He will not bother merchants or religious travelers except for members of obvious enemy cults to the Empire such as Storm Bulls, blatant Orlanthi, and the like.
Keywords: Lunar Sable Rider 15, Antelope Lancer Commander 5w,
Initiate of Yanafal Tarnils 15, Initiate of Seven Mothers 14 Crystal Amulet: Sense Magic 5w, grants him 14 extra AP during conflicts with magic or spirits
Affinities: The commander's magic is affected by the Lunar cycle.
Unity feats (14)
Combat feats (15)
Military Magic feats (20)
Warlord feats (13) Antelope Lancers One through FourteenKeywords: Lunar Sable Rider 13, Antelope Lancer 17, Sable Khan Initiate 17Significant Abilities: Sable Rider Culture 13, Sable Khan Mythology 14, Hunt 17, Butcher 15, Riding 17, Lance & Shield Fighting 17, Lunar 14, Praxian 12 Armor: ^2 Weapons: lance^5
Affinities: The soldiers' magic is affected by the Lunar cycle.
Combat feats (15)
Sable feats (13) Scene 2 - In the area where the temple should have beenA search of several hours will locate the top of the mooring post behind a bush. It is located in a large gully. There is no building anywhere in sight. If the players haven't figured it out yet, the narrator should hint that the temple was buried when the river mouth was silted up. Once they have realized this, and if previous hints haven't prompted them to buy shovels, explain that they can probably buy shovels at Corflu, about a half day away. They may need to travel there and back before they can get on with the quest.
Act IV - At The TempleScene 1 - Near the mooring postIt requires roughly ten man hours to dig down to the buried temple.Scene 2 At the temple after several hours of diggingObservant characters may roll to observe the baboon scout. The rest of the troop arrives shortly.ENTER baboon troop consisting of alpha male, three dominant males, and six lesser males and females. The troop uses this place as a rest area while shopping in Corflu. They are not hostile, just curious.
ALPHA MALE: What ho! Strangers, and humans as well. Don't shoot! We are just baboons on a travel. Who goes there? Hero Response: It's us, adventuring for a reason.
ALPHA MALE: Where I come from, it would be appropriate for strangers
to give a gift to someone if those strangers were in a favorite spot.
We know our manners, and we know that you are digging in our favorite
spot. Some people would find themselves virtuous if they gifted us. After as much of the temple has been cleared as the heroes wish, EXIT baboon troop. Chorgsa, Alpha Male BaboonChorgsa is the leader of a baboon troop. He is leading about a fourth of the troop to Corflu to buy things with the savings of the past year, which he is carrying.
Keywords: Baboon Culture 20, Alpha Male 5w Rossge, Beta Male Baboon, Baboon ShamanRossge is one of Chorgsa's sons. He is the only priest in the clan, and holds the clan's magical treasure. He is physically inferior, but his magical power raises him to the status of beta male. This is as far as he is likely to go, as most baboons would not follow him. He is happy to support and advise his father.
Keywords: Baboon Culture 18, Baboon Shaman 20
Monkey's Paw: Can heal once per day with a Might of 20
Grandfather (fetch)
Earth Spirit (bound in lizard) Tunga & Wunga, Dominant Male BaboonsKeywords: Baboon Culture 17, Dominant Male Baboon 17Significant Abilities: Agile 15, Baboon Customs 13, Claws & Teeth 15, Climb 2W, Close Combat 1W, Grandfather Baboon Tradition Knowledge 1W, Hunt 14, Know Animals 14, Know Local Area 14, Move Silently 18, Run Fast on All Fours 12, Sling 13, Sneak 15, Spirit Combat 5W, Strong 15, Survival 16, Tracking 5W Talents: Harm at a Distance 15, Rapid Movement 15, Strong Jaws 15 Armor: fur^1 Weapons: sling^3, claws & teeth^2
Ordinary Baboons One through SixKeywords: Baboon Culture 13, Ordinary Baboon 13Significant Abilities: Agile 15, Baboon Customs 13, Claws & Teeth 13, Climb 2W, Close Combat 1W, Grandfather Baboon Tradition Knowledge 1W, Hunt 13, Know Animals 14, Know Local Area 14, Move Silently 18, Run Fast on All Fours 12, Sling 12, Sneak 13, Spirit Combat 5W, Strong 15, Survival 16, Tracking 5W Talents: Harm at a Distance 15, Rapid Movement 15, Strong Jaws 15 Armor: fur^1 Weapons: sling^3, claws & teeth^2 Scene 3 - Entering the templeThe roof of the temple is flat and made out of gray-blue stone. The doors, if uncovered, are ironwood with aluminum fittings. It seems to be bolted from the inside. It will take one hour of work to make a man-sized hole in the stone. The wood of the door is impervious to damage. Picks are available in Corflu.Scene 4 - Inside the templeThe map shows the entire temple, but the party will probably enter room 1 or 4. There are no inhabitants of the temple, and no longer anything of interest anywhere else.Once a hole is made in the roof or wall, the heroes can enter the temple. It is empty, with no lights or furniture. Earth movement has raised the temple above the water table, so there is no water on the floors. The only thing in the temple is the artifact, which is in a flat box under a flagstone in room 4. A successful search is necessary to spot the right flagstone. Any appropriate ability - Observant, Perceptive, Good Eyes, Good Hearing - can be used. Before the box is touched, the Narrator should subtly ask the toucher what he or she plans to do with the artifact. If the answer is to steal it or in some other way to fail to fulfill the deal made with GLURF, the GHOST attached to the box will attack the toucher in spirit combat. If the toucher plans to fulfill the quest, nothing hostile happens, but the GHOST still appears. ENTER GHOST GHOST: Long I have waited for this joyous moment. Rejoice, rejoice, oh bountiful waters. Ad lib ad infinitum ad nauseum. GhostMight: 17Significant Abilities: Mindspeech 17 Combat Tactics: The ghost will give no information but will continue to make happy noises until returned to the river. The ghost is using Mindspeech to the box's toucher only. If placed on an animal, the constant mental droning will cause the animal to have fits, scream, buck, etc. after a couple of hours. The armor is folded within the rectangular box. Glurga's ArmorIn the Dawn Age, Glurga was Grandmother Fish of Zola Fel. She commissioned Mostali smiths to make a special suit of armor. She was slain before she accepted delivery, and the suit was used by the cult near Feroda for 8 centuries. In the confusion created by the giant's revenge and the bunging of Feroda, the suit's location was lost.The artifact is a trapezoidal piece of leather covered on one side by small, blue, aluminum scales. It is about as long as a man is tall. There are slits in the front and some fasteners along the sides. This artifact is ceremonial armor for a fish. It increases its wearer's armor rating by 5. The armor also has several magical abilities.
Act V - The Trip HomeScene 1 - The first night's campA thief is sneaking into camp. He can be noticed with any appropriate ability. He will try for the box and get attacked by the GHOST. The screams of the attacked or discovered thief will bring down his covering party.ENTER COVERING PARTY, two ogres and six Broos. The party will attack and attempt to seize the artifact. As they do, each will be attacked in turn by the GHOST, unless it has been destroyed. Once three Broos or one ogre is down, if the heroes haven't lost at least two people, EXIT COVERING PARTY, running in the dark.
Shadow Cat Broo, Sneak ThiefThis is a shadow cat/broo hybrid. It has black fur, a distorted cat-like head with goat horns, and clawed hands. Its band uses it as a thief and scout, sending it into camps to steal what it can and to case the area. It is backed up by the rest in cast of trouble.
Keywords: Broo Culture 14, Sneak Thief 5w, Initiate of Thed 15
Significant Abilities: Undetectable by Magic 15, Sneak 20, Filch 15, Track 16, Bite
& Claw 14, Impregnate Victim 5w, Club 12, Broo 14 Ogres One & TwoThese are relatively bestial ogres.
Keywords: Ogre Culture 12, Warrior 17, Thed Initiate 13
Affinities:
Chaos feats (13) Broos One through FiveKeywords: Broo Culture 13, Bandit 17, Thed Initiate 15Significant Abilities: Sneak 14, Track 12, Infest Victim with Disease 18, Impregnate Victim 5w, Smell Disgusting 12, Tough 12, Ugly 15, Club & Shield Fighting 14, Horns 16, Dodge 10w (Broo #5), Broo 13 Armor: ^0 Weapons: club^1, horns^1 Diseases: Shakes (Broo #1 - lingering, shiver attack 20), Creeping Chills (Broo #3 - lingering, chilling attack 20), Soul Waste (Broo #4 - lingering, lethal 20) Note that the diseases do not affect the carrier broos. Characters which have a trait of Tough or something similar should use this to oppose the attack of the disease. Some of those infected with a disease may be better able to oppose its attack due to their specific traits. Some with a strong spirit for example might be better able to oppose the attack of Soul Waste. Big BrooKeywords: Broo Culture 13, Bandit 17, Thed Initiate 15Significant Abilities: Infest Victim with Disease 18, Impregnate Victim 5w, Smell Disgusting 12, Big 17, Tough 20, Ugly 15, Club & Shield Fighting 14, Broo 13 Armor: ^2 Weapons: club^5 Diseases: Soul Waste (lingering, lethal 20) Scene 2 - The shore of the riverThe River Lord GLURF will insist the party board a raft and go to the middle of the artifact. Once there, he will request the artifact.
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