The Man in the Mountain
Lieutenant Maran is unsure that anybody in the Tower will be able to help you out with accessing the uncharted area of the Reef indicated on the Baron's star chart. He pulls you aside and tells you of an informant he has in the Reef that will undoubtedly be able to get you pointed in the right direction. This informant's location is strictly need-to-know. In fact, his ties to the Vanguard mean that not even he is able to know. To get you the location of this informant, Lt. Maran directs you to a village in the Balkans and asks you to speak to them about "the man in the mountain".
He sternly tells you that where you go and what you find there is not to appear on any Vanguard documentation for any reason. Even the least perceptive among you can tell that he is deadly serious.
He sternly tells you that where you go and what you find there is not to appear on any Vanguard documentation for any reason. Even the least perceptive among you can tell that he is deadly serious.
Plot points/Scenes
- The Fireteam travels to the village location transmitted to them by Jarek Maran. They encounter Lightless humans on the way there that are initially hostile.
- Upon arriving in the village, they meet with the village elder who tells them how people outside the City still regard Risen as monsterous creatures after centuries of hardship in the Dark Ages,
- The village elder points them towards the Man in the Mountain. The Firteam travels there and fights Fallen.
- They arrive at the peak of the mountain and meet with Padraig-3. He talks with them about the nature of self-improvment and seeking their own meaning in the vagaries of Risen life.
- Padraig gives them the location of Mariella, currently near the Vestian Outpost.
Themes
Understanding that the Risen are not human, but they have human emotions and can work through them just like anyone else.
Structure
Exposition
The village that holds the secret of the Man in the Mountain was raided brutally by Warlords and Fallen during the Dark Ages. The forefathers of the village elder struggled against them for decades, until finally they gave up and submitted if only to let the Warlords fight the Fallen raiders rather than their own people. Then the Iron Lords arrived and killed the Warlords, leaving the village in peril once more.
Years and years went by until the village elder was a young boy, and a Risen appeared from the forest. The people were afraid, but the Risen did not harm them. He asked for one meal, then he would leave. The people gave it to him, and as he was about to go a Fallen raiding party arrived. The Risen defeated the Fallen in an instant, thanked the village for the food, and left.
Fallen raids stopped from that day on. The village grew and prospered with children and agriculture. When the elder was a man, he set out into the woods to find the mysterious Risen. The Risen had taken up residence on a nearby mountain and was meditating. He remembered the village elder from when he was a boy, and the two talked for a while. The Risen had been stopping Fallen raids before they ever touched the village ever since that day. The village elder asked if there was some way to repay him, and the Risen just asked if anybody still knew the recipe to the stew he'd been fed all those years ago.
The village elder returned and set up a supply chain to the mountain. The people would make journies once a month to drop off food and supplies at the Risen's camp, and the village together grew to accept that this Risen was not like the monster stories of the past.
Years and years went by until the village elder was a young boy, and a Risen appeared from the forest. The people were afraid, but the Risen did not harm them. He asked for one meal, then he would leave. The people gave it to him, and as he was about to go a Fallen raiding party arrived. The Risen defeated the Fallen in an instant, thanked the village for the food, and left.
Fallen raids stopped from that day on. The village grew and prospered with children and agriculture. When the elder was a man, he set out into the woods to find the mysterious Risen. The Risen had taken up residence on a nearby mountain and was meditating. He remembered the village elder from when he was a boy, and the two talked for a while. The Risen had been stopping Fallen raids before they ever touched the village ever since that day. The village elder asked if there was some way to repay him, and the Risen just asked if anybody still knew the recipe to the stew he'd been fed all those years ago.
The village elder returned and set up a supply chain to the mountain. The people would make journies once a month to drop off food and supplies at the Risen's camp, and the village together grew to accept that this Risen was not like the monster stories of the past.
Conflict
Upon arriving on the outskirts of the village, the villagers will be afraid. Not everybody is fully convinced of the kindness of all Risen, as only the Man in the Mountain has shown benevolence to them thus far. The players will need to tactfully negotiate to see the village elder or storm the village by force. The villagers will be extremely averse to Cloak's presence.
There is also a Fallen presence between the village and the mountain camp. The Fallen are preparing for a raid, which the players can thwart on their way to see Padraig.
There is also a Fallen presence between the village and the mountain camp. The Fallen are preparing for a raid, which the players can thwart on their way to see Padraig.
Rising Action
The story of the village elder is going to build up the myth of this Man in the Mountain. This is also an opportunity for the players to be confronted with the morality of their actions should they choose hostility towards the villagers they meet initially. To these villagers, Risen are bogeymen used to scare children into staying in their huts at night and listening to their parents. Any negative interactions will lead to a stern talking-to from the village elder for rattling his people's beliefs after so many years of thinking otherwise.
Climax
After fighting the Fallen, the fireteam will arrive at the Man in the Mountain's camp and find him dead. They can Resurrect him, which will begin their conversation with him.
Falling Action
Conversing with Padraig will give players an opportunity to pick the brain of another seasoned Guardian and explore why he is alone in this place, and why he helps the people of the village. Also can broach the topic of why he left the Vanguard.
Resolution
The fireteam leaves having discussed where to find the informant in The Reef. He tells the party to let Mariella know that Paddy sent them for a favor. Padraig returns to his meditation.
Components
Goals
Determine the location of Jarek's informant in The Reef.
Hooks
The interaction with the villagers is an opportunity for Cloak to expound on his experience with the human nomads, even though they fear him. This should be a hook to the fireteam to interact more with Cloak.
Padraig's dialogue should also, hopefully, get the fireteam interested in talking more to Jarek during their visits to the Tower.
Padraig's dialogue should also, hopefully, get the fireteam interested in talking more to Jarek during their visits to the Tower.
Stakes
Killing a villager can taint this entire experience. Both with the village elder and with Padraig.
The village elder's faith in Risen will be shaken if any harm comes to his fellow villagers.
Padraig would be livid to hear that villagers were harmed, citing the death of many of his friends over the years trying to keep these people safe as disgraced by actions like that.
The village elder's faith in Risen will be shaken if any harm comes to his fellow villagers.
Padraig would be livid to hear that villagers were harmed, citing the death of many of his friends over the years trying to keep these people safe as disgraced by actions like that.
Moral Quandaries
- Are Risen really a part of humanity?
- What are Risen really meant for?
Cruel Tricks
The frightened villagers can attack the fireteam if they feel threatened.
- If the party cannot convince them that Cloak is not a threat [Persuasion DC 10], the villagers will attack.
- If the party draws weapons on the villagers, the villagers will need to make Wis saves [DC 18] to not attack.
Relations
Protagonists
Fireteam Crescendo
Allies
Padraig-3.
Neutrals/Bystanders
The villagers.
Adversaries
Fallen raiders.
Backdrops
Encounters
- Exploration
- Negotiation
- Discussion
- Combat
- Introduction with cast (NPC)
"I can't really think of another way to help. You need to keep this off the books, understood? That's an order." - Lt. Jarek Maran
Plot type
Side-Quest
Parent Plot
Related Organizations
Related Locations
Comments