In Search of the Unknown
Once the portal to Mystara was created, Mistress Melissa approached the Explorer's Guild with a unique offer.
The location to her stronghold.
It was revealed that Mistress Melissa was the Keeper of Quasqueton, and one of the few who knew of it's location.
Her paramore, Rogahn the Fearless fell in battle before her eyes before she became Displaced.
Mistress Melissa came forward and sponsored the first expedition, and will lend her knowlege to any party memeber who asks.
Plot points/Scenes
The party is given a chance to secure a stronghold that was donated to the Explorer's Guild by Mistress Melissa
Themes
This is a dungeon crawl of sorts. The place is picked over and ravaged for over 30 years. Most have made some sort of home, or just use it to get out of the rain.
Structure
Exposition
When gathering information from The Displaced Mystarian, we were able to get a general idea of the history behind The Caverns of Quasqueton
Rogahn the Fearless and Zelligar the Unknown are legendary names.
Every Mystaran know of their reputation. The elders and the sages speak both names with respect, even awe, in a distant admiration for the memories of the two legendary figures...
Rogahn the Fearless earned his name as a great warrior, and his reputation spread far and wide across the land. Zelligar the Unknown, equally renowned, earned his respected status and power as a foremost practitioner of the mystical arts of magic and sorcery.
No one knows what occurrences or coincidence brought these two men together. but tales tell of their meeting and forming a strong bond of friendship, a union that would be lost for the ages. As this occurred, legend has it, the two men virtually disappeared from the view of civilization.
Stories occasionally surfaced about a rumored hideaway being built deep in the wilderness. far from the nearest settlement, away from traveled routes, and high upon a craggy hill-but no one seemed to know any more than that, or where this supposed hideaway really was located, if indeed it was.
No one knows for sure, but some say their motive was to pursue the common goals of personal greed and some kind of vogue (or chaotic) evil. In any case, they jointly led a hermit life with but a few occasional forays into the outside world to add to their own reputations.
Many years passed, until one day a great barbarian invasion came from the lands to the north. threatening to engulf the entire land with the savage excesses of the unchecked alien horde. Just when things seemed the darkest.
Rogahn the Fearless and Zelligar the Unknown made their unexpected yet most welcome reappearance.
Joining their powerful forces, they and their band of loyal henchmen met the barbarian army in a great battle at a narrow pass in the hills, and decisively turned back the invasion.
Rogahn the Fearless slew a horde of barbarians single-handedly and Zelligar's powerful magic put their army to fight.
It was a great victory, and a grateful populace rewarded the pair and their consorts with considerable treasure. After that, the two heroes returned to their mystical hideaway, and rumor has it that the spoils of victory were spent to further its construction. although some of it may yet be hidden somewhere.
Rogahn and Zelligar apparently decided upon a joint foray into the lands of the hated barbarians.
Taking most of their henchmen and associates along with them in a great armed band, the two personages, it seems, disappeared into the forbidding alien lands to the north on a great adventurewhich some say may have been asked by the very gods themselves.
Word just reaching civilization tells of some great battle in the barbarian lands where the legendary Rogahn and Zelligor have met their demise. This rumored clash must have occurred some years ago, and there are few details-and no substantiation of the story.
Conflict
Now that Mistress Melissa revealed the fall of her lover and friends in that final battle, their stronghold has fallen to ruin and has been over run by dangerous creatures.
Zelligar the Unknown has also enchanted the very walls of the stronghold. He may no longer be present, but his mishcevious antics are still prevalent to this day.
Rising Action
The party will slowly make their way through the various rooms, and finding out what's inside them. They will meet and negotiate with various entities and try to secure various sections of the stronghold.
Climax
The party will finish clearing out the top floor and move into the lower levels.
Falling Action
Clearing out the various rooms of the Lower Levels, the party will secure all the rooms and treasure. Eventually finding the hidden treasure of Rogahn the Fearless and Zelligar the Unknown
Resolution
Once the party finds the hidden chamber and the back exit, the stronghold is secured!
Components
Goals
The goal to clear out this stronghold is to allow the Explorer's Guild to have a safe and secure location in Mystara.
Hooks
When talking to The Displaced Mystarian, they more than happily shared what they knew about the stronghold from the stories they were told growing up.
01) The name of the stronghold is Quasqueton.
02) Zelligar had a wizard's workshop in the stronghold where he worked on magic stronger than any known to man.
03) Rogahn owned a fantastic gem as big as a man's fist that was worth over 100.000 gold pieces; he kept it hidden in his personal quarters.
04) Zelligar and Rogahn had ore slaves to do the menial work, and some lived permanently at the stronghold.
05) The complex has two levels.
06) Part of the complex is unfinished.
07) The complex has a rear exit which is secret and well hidden.
08) No outsiders have ever entered the complex and returned to tell the tale.
09) Troglodytes have moved into the complex in the absence of its normal inhabitants.
10) The place is protected by the gods themselves, and one member of any party of intruders is doomed to certain death.
11) The treasures of Zelligar and Rogahn are safely hidden in a pool of water.
12) The entire place is filled with guards left behind by Zelligar and Rogahn.
13) Rogahn's trophy room has battle relics and slain monster remains from his adventures.
14) There is a room with many pools of water within the complex.
15) The very walls speak to visitors.
16) An enchanted stone within the stronghold will grant a wish to anyone who chips off a piece of it and places it within their mouth.
17) All treasures of Zelligar and Rogahn are cursed to bring ill to any who possess them.
18) Zelligar and Rogahn have actually returned to their stronghold, and woe be to any unwelcome visitors!
19) There are secret doors, rooms, and passageways in parts of the complex.
20) The complex has more than one level.
Stakes
This is the first location that Terris Burg has been able to connect to with their portal. It's vial for their continued expiditions to secure a base of operations in Mystara to allow the guild a place to store and manufacture products and equpement needed to negotate and trade with the local entities.
Moral Quandaries
Some of the denizines explorer's will encounter are sentient advisaries. It's up to the explorer to use their best judgement, but it's been discovered that some of them are friendly and open to communication and trade.
Cruel Tricks
There are various traped locations, illusions, and trapped items.
Red Herrings
Quasqueton is filled with Red Herrings. Mostly they are Zelligar's doing.
Relations
Protagonists
Allies
Guild Staff
Erin Nyx
Primrose Whimburrow
Lonillirien
Duruith
NPC
Mistress Melissa
Neutrals/Bystanders
Competitors
Throught the halls of Quasqueton, may Goblin, Hobgoblin, Berserkers, and more will be scowering the hallways, looking for treasure and weapons.
There is desperation, as if there is an oncoming war.
Backdrops
Locations
Caverns of Quasqueton's enterance is located along a hidden pathway deep inside a moutnain range. It's location is not currenty known on the map of Mystara, and the Explorer's Guild intends to keep it that way.
A cave-like opening, somewhat obscured by vegetation. is noticeable at the end of a treacherous pathway which leads up to the craggy outcropping of black rock.
By sweeping aside some of the vines and branches, the opening becomes easily accessible to human-size explorers.
The opening leads straight into the rock formation.
Threats
The explorers may encounter traps, illusions, undead, and monsters of various sorts.
Encounters
- Combat / Engagement
- Negotiation
- Discussion / Interaction
- Meeting / Introduction with cast (NPC)
- Travel / Exploration
- Investigation
Past Events
Many years ago, rumor has it, two noted personages in the area. Rogahn the Fearless the (a fighter of renown) and Zelligar the Unknown (a magic-user of mystery and power) pooled their resources and expertise to construct a home and stronghold for the two of them to use as a base of operations.
The location of this hidden complex was chosen with care, since both men disliked visitors and intruders. Far from the nearest settlement, away from traveled routes. and high upon a craggy hill, the new construction took shape. Carved out of the rock protrusion which crested the heavily forested hill.
This mystical hideaway was well hidden and its rumored existence was never common knowledge.
Even less well known was its name; The Caverns of Quasqueton. Construction of the new complex, it is said, took over a decade, even with the aid of magic and the work of hundreds of slaves and laborers. Vast amounts of rock were removed and tumbled off the rough cliffs into large piles now overgrown with vegetation. A single tower was constructed above ground for lookout purposes. even though there was little to see other than a hilly. forested wilderness for miles around.
Rogahn and Zelligar lived in their joint sanctuary for quite some time. conducting their affairs from within except tor occasional adventures in the outside world where both men attempted to add to their reputations as foremost practitioners of their respective arts.
The deeds and adventures of these two characters were never well known, since they both kept their distance from civilization. Some say. and perhaps rightly so, that their motives were based on greed and some kind of vague (or chaotic) evil.
No one knows for sure.
What is known more widely is the reputation of each.
Despite their questionable alignment, both Rogahn and Zelligar capped their reputation of power when they joined forces to stop a barbarian invasion threatening the great valley below.
In a crucial battle at a narrow pass in the hills, the two combined powerful forces and decisively turned back the invasion.
Rogahn slew a horde of barbarians single-handedly and Zelligar's powerful magic put their army to flight.
A grateful populace rewarded the pair and their henchmen with considerable treasure. after which the two retired to their hideaway. Most of the reward treasure was apparently used to finance the further construction of Quasqueton, although some of it may yet be hidden somewhere.
In any case, the hill stronghold was not completed in its entirety when, years later, the intrepid pair apparently embarked on their last adventure.
Some years ago. Rogahn and Zelligar apparently decided upon a joint foray into the lands of the hated barbarians. Taking most of their henchmen and associates along in a great armed band, the two personages disappeared into the forbidding alien lands to the north; far from the hills and forests surrounding Quasqueton.
Word just reaching civilization tells of some great bottle in the barbarian lands where Rogahn and Zelligar have met their demise. This rumored clash must have occurred some years ago, and there are few details-and no substantiation of the story. The only thing certain is the Rogahn and Zelligar have been gone far too long. If only one had the knowledge and wherewithal to find their hideaway. there would be great things to explore!
And who knows what riches of wealth and magic might be there for the taking???
This adventure is from Module B1 - In Search of the Unknown.
Plot type
TSR Dungeon Module - Dungeon Crawl
Parent Plot
Related Characters
Related Organizations
Related Locations
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