The action of Fiend of the Forest takes place in central Haradel in the deep forest to the east of Bahreleth Keep.
Fiend of the Forest is an introductory adventure designed for a freeband that is just starting out.
Note that World of Faelon (WoF) Adventures are a set of connected scenes designed to be played one of four ways.
They can serve as adventures for both BrightSword and Freeblades Encounters.
They can be used as part of a Freeblades Campaign.
The individual scenes from a WoF Adventure may be played as Freeblades scenarios.
Rather than clutter things up as we go, the adventure is described in a story mode as though it is being played as a BrightSword adventure and the reader is the GM. At the end, we give you tips on how to use the adventure in its other modes.
Information the GM provides to the players will appear in a box like this. Information that does not appear in this form is intended for the GM only.
Fiend of the Forest is adventure in three scenes set in the center of the Kingdom of Haradel. The players represent freeblades on their first adventure. The story is told from the perspective of actual characters from Faelon and pre-made adventurer sheets are available if the GM wants to take new players directly into the adventure with the least amount of required prep.
The adventure is designed to challenge a freeband of 150 FV and so can also be played out with any freeband of that level without altering the threats. Guidelines for increasing the threat for each scene to accommodate more capable freebands are included at the end of each scene.
The players are residents of Bahreleth, a lordship on the edge of the great forest southeast of the Haradelan capital of Hercourt.
The adventure story is told from the perspective of the pre-made adventures. GMs are free to modify the story to accommodate the way they choose to use the adventure.
Sir Jakes climbed the stone stairs to the top of the parapet’s walkway. The old knight gazed westward following the guard’s outstretched arm toward the nearby village. He noted the lone figure, the cause of the guard’s summons to the wall. A rider hastened to the Keep, and in his Lord’s absence it was Jake’s duty as Castellan to receive visitors and deal with the inevitable problems. Jakes squinted and focused on the nearing figure, realizing the man looked familiar. The constant ache of the old leg wound reminded him of the day he had met him. The man racing up the hill to the Keep had been more than a farmer that day years ago. If Spear-Sergeant Rougar had a problem requiring his Lord’s help, it was more than duty which moved Sir Jakes to hasten back down the stair; it was a debt of honor.
As Jakes limped across the inner yard, he observed the gate guards conversing with the new arrival. Sir Jakes sized up the visitor as he closed on the group of men. The newcomer was a strong man entering the autumn of his life, and contrary to his rough apparel, appeared comfortable conversing with the guards. The years had all too easily disappeared and he was once again a “Sergeant of Spear”. Rougar bowed his head as the Castellan stopped before the group and Sir Jakes realized the man was one of the only people still alive that fought the day Jakes’ horse fell to Trilian arrows, crushing the knight’s leg. Sir Jakes silently prayed to Vidunar that he possessed the power to solve Rougar’s problem.
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Hol stood watch higher in the sky as Sir Jakes, cursing himself for growing old, limped out to the practice grounds beyond the Keep. He wished that he could lead the apprentice knights on this adventure. Rougar’s situation served as the stuff of which Haradelan knights dream.
A young man with a broadsword and a woman with sword and shield stepped back from engaging each other and lowered their weapons at his approach. For the old Castellan to come out from the Keep meant something was amiss. Skrellan, a stalker from the eastern foothills, had been advising them on their swordplay. Sir Jakes did not approve of the man but could not argue with his Lord’s logic. The apprentices could only benefit from his unique expertise and experiences. Jakes caught the hunter’s eye and nodded for him to join the knights. Jakes reviewed each of the youngsters as they came before him. He knew them well enough, not as well as he had known their fathers, but he felt he guessed each of their potentials.
“Apprentice knights, I will get right to it. You know the Lord and his companions are gone to Starhold for the wedding, and unfortunately, they will not return for several days. A terrible occurrence has been brought to my attention, one which I suspect will be dangerous to resolve. Facing danger and ensuring justice are what all of you are training for, and I believe Vidunar himself would say this group is the best solution to the problem. I have no doubt there will be an opportunity for each of you to prove yourself before Vidunar, your Lord warden and our people.”
Each knight-to-be leaned forward, hands moved of their own accord to grasp hilts. Jakes turned to Rougar who had followed the Castellan from the Keep and motioned him forward. “Spear-Sergeant, tell them your tale!”
Rougar pulled himself up as the Castellan introduced him by his former military rank. “Two days ago, a wagon left our village transporting Sir Kreflan’s two daughters, Rayva and Galis, to attend the dance in town tomorrow. Dawn this morning one of the horses from the wagon came back into the village. The traces were torn clean through and the animal was covered in blood not its own. I rode our best horse hard into the forest and several hours later I found the wagon.”
Rougar stopped to catch his breath at this point. The two young knights took this opportunity to look at each other across the semi-circle. Kerlin and Athys were visibly excited. Sir Jakes looked at each of their faces in turn. One mark of a knight was how they handled news of this sort, and Jakes wanted to capture these moments for his Lord’s benefit.
Rougar started again, trying to focus on the facts so his throat would not catch. “The wagon was torn apart, the horses were dead or missing, and the dead were partially eaten. The drivers and guards were also dead, their bodies mauled to the point that I could barely recognize them. The tracks and claw marks are ones I do not know. There was no sign of the passengers. I rode the horse into the ground trying to get here as fast as I could.”
“The guards were some of our best men. Whoever took the knight’s daughters is more than a match for us. Please, we need your help!”
Sir Jakes put his hand on Rougar’s shoulder. “Kerlin and Athys, I task you with righting this wrong. Go to the armory and equip yourselves, then the kitchens and the stables. Plan to be gone three to four days. I will meet you at the stables in two hours time.” The youths nodded and ran to the Keep.
Sir Jakes turned to the stalker. Skrellan had packed his pipe and lit the bowl while Rougar told his tale. The hunter’s head was encircled with smoke, and he exhaled a plume and stabbed forward with the pipe’s stem as he spoke to Sir Jakes.
“We both know those two are not ready to go off gallivanting in the woods by themselves.”
Sir Jakes lifted his eyebrows. “And who said I was sending them off into the woods by themselves?”
At this point the GM should distribute the adventurer sheets for the two Apprentice Knights, Athys and Kerlin and the Stalker, Skrellan or the equivalent in their version of this story.
Apprentice Knight of Tahnar
Apprentice Knight of Vidunar
| SPD | MAR | MW | RAR | RW | DEF | AV | LP | DISC | SPECIAL | COST |
|---|
| 5 | d10 | Greatsword d10+1 | * | * | 4 | 6 | 2 | d8 | Parry [1], Sergeant [Muster], STR d10 | 26 |
Stalker
A single Stalker may be taken as an Ally [Independent] in any freeband. In a Haradelan freeband, he is an Ally [Trusted].
| SPD | MAR | MW | RAR | RW | DEF | AV | LP | DISC | SPECIAL | COST |
|---|
| 7 | d10 | Longsword d8 | d12 | Longbow d8
12"-24"-36" | 5 | 3 | 2 | d8 | Dodge [1], AGL d10, Quarry, Hunt d8, Scout, Sharpshooter, Shoot Them!, Subdue, Arboreal, Allied [Independent], Allied [Trusted] | 34 |
The story continues…
As the youths readied themselves, Sir Jakes returned to the Keep and climbed the stairs of the north tower. The apprentices may be ready to test themselves for knighthood, but a little veteran supervision was certainly called for. Skrellan would provide the necessary tactical mentorship, but someone needed to provide spiritual counseling.
Sir Jakes stopped before the oak door emblazoned with a large golden hand. The Castellan knocked and entered after a deep voice beyond bid him enter. Father Rykar was more powerfully built than some of the knights that had ridden north with the Warden. The priest stood to meet the Castellan and shook his hand. The men sat down across a scroll-laden table from each other. Sir Jakes recounted Rougar’s story to the priest, whose deep-set eyes began a slow burn. At the tale’s conclusion the priest stood, and without a word he moved to a rack along the far wall. He easily lifted a heavy chain shirt over his shaved head. Grasping a large war hammer whose head was shaped like a clenched fist, he turned to Sir Jakes, “There are a few items I have still to gather. Tell the youths I will meet them at the chapel.”
At this point the GM should distribute the adventurer sheet for the Fist of Vidunar, Father Rykar. In the story, Father Rykar is the leader of the group and so it might make sense to assign this adventurer to the most experienced (or most ready seeming) of the players.
Skrellan and Father Rykar were preparing themselves for the journey; it was time for Jakes to discuss this task with the last members of the group he intended to send out.
Everyone straightened as he strode into the mess hall. “At ease,” he said, and while conversations resumed, they did so at a much-reduced volume. As he sat next to two of the soldiers, they started to rise, but he motioned them to keep their seats.
“Apprentice knights do not usually have squires. Did you know this is not a formal rule?”
The two men looked at each other, then back at Jakes, shaking their heads.
“It is not because of a decree, it is because they usually do not have the experience to keep their own affairs straight, let alone be responsible for another. Often though, the bond with a squire is forged in battle.” He paused, letting them consider his words. “I must send two apprentices on a mission that may prove dangerous. Will you guard their backs?” He could have ordered them to go, and he knew they knew it. Swordsmen smart enough to know that being chosen a squire made a far better life than one in the line were the sort he sought. And smart enough to know him making it a request did not make them volunteers.
“Yes, sir,” said the taller one with the beard.
“When do we leave, sir?” said the other with the scar on his cheek.
In this telling of the adventure, two Faeler Swordsmen accompany the freeband as followers. This provides for an introduction of the game that acquaints the players with the role, and hopefully care, of followers. A number of other options are available:
• The GM or an assistant GM can control the followers as NPC.
• If the GM has five players, the fifth can control both followers.
• If the GM has five players and they want the fifth to be a hero class adventurer, have Sir Jakes recruit Spear Sergeant Rougar to come out of retirement and go along instead of the swordsmen. His adventurer sheet is provided.
Faeler Swordsman
| SPD | MAR | MW | RAR | RW | DEF | AV | LP | DISC | SPECIAL | COST |
|---|
| 7 | d6 | Longsword d8 | * | * | 5s | 3 | 1 | d6 | Veteran [+1dl DISC, 1]. Veteran [Squire,1] | 11 |
Sir Jakes and Father Rykar were standing together on the chapel steps as the apprentice knights approached with their horses. The youths stared at Father Rykar as they came to a halt, in awe of the priest in his battle array. Rykar cut an intimidating figure in his robes of office but appeared truly daunting as a fully-kitted Fist of Vidunar.
“Do not doubt the eye of Vidunar is on each of us as we go forth to do his work! Vidunar has a special place for those who protect the weak. Now receive his blessing as we go forth this day!”
As Sir Jakes, Father Rykar and the apprentice knights passed out of the gate, three figures and horses awaited them. The young knights had just recovered from discovering that Father Rykar was joining them, and there was nothing out of the ordinary in Jakes sending two soldiers along. But the sight of Skrellan the Stalker left them shooting quizzical looks at each other and then to Jakes. Rykar’s mien combined disapproval and resignation as he looked deliberately past the hunter for hire.
Skrellan smirked as he pulled himself into his saddle. “This is going to be interesting.”
The six bid the Castellan farewell, mounted, and were off.
The intent is for the freeband to travel from the Keep to the site of the wagon ambush. The GM may dress this travel up in any way they like. After the travel is completed, move to Scene 1: The Wagon Ambush.
Fiend of the Forest is an introductory adventure designed for a freeband that is just starting out.
Note that World of Faelon (WoF) Adventures are a set of connected scenes designed to be played one of four ways.
They can serve as adventures for both BrightSword and Freeblades Encounters.
They can be used as part of a Freeblades Campaign.
The individual scenes from a WoF Adventure may be played as Freeblades scenarios.
Rather than clutter things up as we go, the adventure is described in a story mode as though it is being played as a BrightSword adventure and the reader is the GM. At the end, we give you tips on how to use the adventure in its other modes.
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