Chapter One: Mysterious Sightings

This section presents a series of adventure scenarios that introduce the party to the characters of the Cult of the Damned Storyline. All the adventures take place in and around the village and surrounding area, allowing the characters to explore the local areas as they gain insight into the threat of the cult.
WARNING: If you are planning on playing this adventure and you are not a DM please stop reading.

Feldon Village and Mine

Feldon provides a place for the characters to begin their journey as members of the League of Explorers. The adventures in this section provide 4th to 5th level characters with the opportunity to learn about Feldon while dealing with its local troubles.
To find interesting rumours and find directions to the potential adventure sites the characters must explore Feldon and interact with its inhabitants.

Arrival in Feldon

Feldon lies on the southern edge of Mount Ingle against the forest ridge line a couple of days from Freeport, founded some years ago it is a thriving mining settlement that supplies valuable iron and silver ore to the surrounding settlements and Freeport itself.

For descriptions of buildings and NPCs in the area please see the article: Feldon Village & Mine. The characters learn more about the area as they explore the area and talk to its inhabitants.
The quarry and mine lies to the north of the village and the main gathering places in the area are Feldon Square, The Haulers Arms and The Trusty Pickaxe. Momo's Emporium provides assorted goods to the locals and the local blacksmith repairs and creates tools for the mine and local farmers.

Gathering Information

The following information and rumours can be gathered from around the village by talking to players and general investigation.
There have been several sightings of a robed and hooded figure skulking about the village at night he has been seen at various spots around the village, most of the sighting have been near the quarry, the shrine and the eastern edge of the village.
One of the farm to the south was burnt out a few night before the party arrive, no bodies where found and the farmer and his family are missing.
Several of the local hunters and foragers have seen goblins moving through the area, and some speak of seeing something larger lurking in the area.

Investigating the Farm

The farm lies in charred ruins, smoke still rises in a few places and the smell of burnt wood is heavy in the air. It looks like there is little left of the once thriving farm. The crops seem relatively untouched except for a few places where they have been trampled. A lone guard is poking through the ruin building, assumably looking for clues as to what happened.

The guard is called Benny and is pretty clueless as an investigator the only thing he has found is a dropped silver locket and a few roughly booted footprints leading away from the farm. If the players make a successful Investigation check against DC15 they will discover the tracks leading into the woods and be able to track them. If they succeed the check by more than five points they will also come across some large footprints that have clawed feet.

Into the Woods

The woods surrounding feldon are wild and untamed and the following encounters are design to keep the characters on their toes, play them out when it is appropriate for your group.

The Mad Druid

Before you stand a large clearing with an ancient dead oak tree at its center, a half naked man dressed in animal furs is muttering to the tree, seeing you he turns and start screaming at you in complete gibberish, he then claps his hands together and you hear the great roars of three brown bears that come crashing out of the undergrowth.

Rivals: 1 x Druid (Mad), 3 x Brown Bears
XP: 2100xp(420xp)
Treasure: Masterwork Studded Leather (+1) hidden in the tree

Three Goblins?

Sat on a log thats blocks the trail you see a lone goblin sat cleaning its teeth, its is dressed in dirty furs and seems to have no weapons, seeing you it yells at you in broken Landrian "Go away or your be sorry!".

Once engaged the party will realise there mistake as the goblin on the log is in fact a Barghest and the two goblins in the bushes will shoot arrows at the weakest party members.
Rivals: 1 x Barghest, 2 x Goblins
XP: 2400xp(480xp)
Treasure: 87 gp, Masterwork Sling (+1)

Howls in the Night

The following encounter can play out at any time the party are in the woods at night.

You hear two wolf howls from ahead long and drawn out they seem sorrowful, a rustling in the bushes catches your attention but all seems quiet now

At this point two werewolves will burst from the bushes behind the party attempting to surprise the party.
Rivals: 2 x Werewolves
XP: 2100xp(420xp)
Treasure: None

The Goblin Camp

Following the tracks from the farm into the woods will eventually lead the characters towards a small camp of goblins who have the farmers in cages, they have already killed and eaten the famer, yet his wife and children survive if somewhat traumatised since they witnessed the whole thing. The troll is no longer hear its track lead of in to the forest but they will lose them in the dense undergrowth.
The area surrounding the goblin camp is set with various traps and a goblin scout is always on watch in the trees hidden from the party, when he sees the party he will make his way through the trees to inform the camp using stealth. If the pc's manage to see him they will be aware of the camp otherwise the goblins will have the surprise and use the two traps they have dug out.

The pit traps are triggered by walking over them they are ten feet deep and contain spike that are coated with a minor poison the spikes deal 2d6 damage, and 1d3 poison damage per turn to anyone who lands on the spikes, they can be climbed out of with the use of one action.
The goblins consist of 3 Goblins, 4 Worgs and 1 Goblin boss. They will disperse into the bushes and stealth if not detected by the characters and shot at them with shortbows from a distance and then attempt to stealth again if the party gets to close. The Worgs will harry the party constantly trying to flank them.
Rivals: 3 x Goblins, 4 x Worgs and 1 Goblin Boss. XP: 1875(375 each)
Treasure: Light Wooden Shield +2, 150g
Once rescued the villagers will tell the party about their capture and that the goblins were talking to a black robed man who came to the camp, they will also mention that there was a vile creature (troll) with them but it went with the robed man along with one of the larger goblins.

The Shadowy Figure

When investigating the shadow figure the party will discover and abandoned house on the east side of the village that shows signs of recent activity, they can either follow the figure here at night or they can find the house while investigating the area.

The House

This house seems to be abandoned it windows are bored up and the whole place looks in disrepair, there are some signs of activity in the area as the door has been forced open.

1. Lower Floor
This room is in ruins broken furniture, cobwebs and dust that has been disturbed with footprints. Hiding under the stairs is a ghoul, the other two are hiding in the closet (2) and will attack once the first is disturbed.
2. Closet
This closet is empty unless the party manages to kill the first ghoul without making any noise. there is a small purse in the corner of the room with 10g in it. Investigation (15 DC) to find it as its tucked under a loose floorboard.
Rivals: 3 x Ghouls XP: 1200xp (240xp) Treasure: 10gp if the characters find the purse
3. Upper Floor
The top floor of the house contains two Cultist Fanatics who will attack on sight once the party climbs the stairs. On the table is a letter from maze asking for an update on there findings, and telling them they need to report in at the cave. If the party ask around they can get directions to the cave in the woods nearby.
Rivals: 2x Fanatic Cultists XP: 1350xp (270xp) Treasure: 331 sp between them

The Caves

The cave entrance lies before you, dimly lit with by a single torch stuff into a crack you can make out very little of what lies beyond its dark opening.

1. Entrance Cave

Peering into the darkness you can make out chewed up animal parts and broken bones on the floor, the smell from the is rancid and you feel the bile rise in your throat as you step forward, the bone fragments cracking under your feet as you enter the cave.

The back of the cave has a ledge some twenty feet up in the air, the cultists have 4 ghouls guarding the entrance and a rope can be lowered down when commanded. When someone climbs up for the first time the ghouls will attempt to drag them and paralyze them and wait for others to follow suit, if they do not they will begin eating the first victim.
Rivals: 4 x Ghouls XP: 1600 xp(320 xp) Treasure: Amongst the litter on the ledge 12 ep, 22 cp, 27 sp.
2. Junction The passage to the east is approximately 20 feet up in the air and can be reached by climbing up the cave in.

3. Guard Post This area is guarded by two cultists and a hellhound they are towards the back of the cave and will attempt to hide when they hear the characters approaching.
Rivals: 2 x Cultists, 1 x Hellhound XP: 1500 xp(300 xp) Treasure: 25 sp. 13gp, 17cp
4. Ghast Cave

The stench as you reach the entrance to this area is overpower it smells like a open sewer and the air feels cold and the shadows seem to shift in the dark.

The Ghast in this chamber will lurk in the darkness behind rocks until the shadows in the room attack at this point it will attempt to sneak behind the healer and paralyze them.
Rivals: 1 x Ghast, 2 Shadows XP: 1300 xp(260 xp) Treasure: 10 gp 11 ep 1 pp
5. Cultist Chamber

As your round the corner you come face to face with a group of humans shrouded in black robes, behind them lurks one of the shadow creatures that attacked you earlier.

Rivals: 1 x Acolyte, 2 x Cult Fanatic, 1 x Shadow XP: 2100 xp (420 xp) Treasure: 37 cp, 15 sp, 9 gp
6. The Ritual Chamber

As you enter this room a scream pieces the air and you see a cloaked figure plunged a dagger in to the chest of a naked girl on a table, a moment later the air begins to turn ice cold and shadows Coalesce above the now limb body, Out of this shadowy arm appears followed by another, and a black skinned demon pulls itself through large battle like wings unfolding behind it.

This creature is a shadow demon that Maze intended to send against the villagers to scare them off from the mine, as soon as he sees the character he will let out a roar and send the demon to attack them, the other cultists in the room will join the fight also. Maze himself will use dimension door to escape the cave and leave the party at the hands of the Shadow Demon.
Rivals: 1 x Shadow Demon, 5 x Cultists XP: 2450 xp(490 xp) Treasure: 225g, Masterwork Mace (+1), box of 20 Candles, A Black Pearl(600g), Potion of Darkvision
Amongst the loot they will also find a small journal that is written in a scratchy hand that contains maze's mad ramblings after reading the journal and making an investigation check (DC10) the party can decipher the following phases.

"It's here in darkness it lies, the masters essence" - 14th of Leaffall

"The feel of it grows stronger, the fool peasants do not even feel it, but they will, oh yes they will feel it" 16th of Leaffall

"It seems the Grey Fox is meddling again, master is not happy I will have to move plans along faster now" - 20th of Leafall (day pcs arrived in town)

"Goblins are troublesome creatures, stupid and forgetful but i think they will do as i have shown them, it happens tomorrow the demon will aid them and in the confusion i will make my move!" - 21st of Leaffall.

"I have sent word to Gothenfed, our contact should arrive there within the week." -21st of Leaffall

Conclusion

This concludes this chapter of the story and the party will now need to return to the town with what they have discovered and make plans on what to do next.

Parent Plot

Book Two: The Shadows of Madness

Related Locations

• Feldon