Rothar's Quests - Chapter 2
This section contains three quests that can be done in any order, although it is recommended to save number three for last.
Stealth checks vary by task
Introduction:
The Mannaz tribe has been facing a major supply isssue. Their normal prey opportunities have started migrating sooner than previous years. With winter around the corner and planting season at an end, they risk starvation. Kofa has decided to send scouts out to find new hunting grounds (these were the Aesir the players encountered at their arrival), but they have not had success in finding suitable options. Rothar has many ideas that will both provide for his tribe, and increase the player's standing with them.Quest 1:
Rothar convinces the players that helping his friend Ezrum will be beneficial to their own situation. Ezrum the Elder, is an exceptionally elderly Kuzu herder. Kuzu, are shaggy, ram like creatures with long stringy hair and three large horns curving backwards. Ezrum's primary pen has become overrun by Turf Vipers and he needs the PC's to clear them out. In return, he will use his influence to aid the players. Running this quest: Combat begins the second the players enter the pen. The enemies are hidden in the grass and players must enter their space in order to reveal them. The snakes will continually try to hide themselves again. At the top of the round, make a stealth check for the snakes that are trying to remain hidden. All checks to find the snakes will be against this. Once a snake moves, track only it's head location. The snakes must reveal themselves to attack. If players can beat the snake's stealth check, they can see through the disguise and attack without being ambushed. Small snakes will try to bite and run while the big snakes will try to grapple the players. Consider doing group stealth checks for the small snakes and collective perception checks for the players to minimize the amount of things to track. Track the big snake separate always. Rothar will not aid the players unless he has to. He will be busy trying to repair Ezrum's other fence. Ezrum will periodically laugh at the players misfortune, and spout random babblings about how "they're doing it wrong" and that "he's seen blind men with better looking skills than the players." Nature CheckTurf Vipers are snake creatures that have foliage growing on their bodies that allow them to blend into wild grass seamlessly. They are ambush predators, and can be very aggressive if provoked. They have been known to grow to very large sizes, able to take down big game grazers. They constrict their prey, much like boas.
bebe Noodle
Small Turf Viper
For: Rothars Quests Italics indicate a free point to assign to any option with the following marker
Acolyte Tier - 0 Att, 3 skills
Weapons: small fangs
Loot: Snake skin to be used for camoflauge?
Acolyte Tier - 0 Att, 3 skills
Base Roll 3
+1 Stealth
+1 Vocation(REF) - Ambush Predator | 4
+1 Small Weapons | 5 (+1CC)
+1 Grapple | 5
+1 Stealth
+1 Vocation(REF) - Ambush Predator | 4
+1 Small Weapons | 5 (+1CC)
+1 Grapple | 5
Weapons: small fangs
Loot: Snake skin to be used for camoflauge?
BIG Noodle
Large Turf Viper
For: Rothars Quests Italics indicate a free point to assign to any option with the following marker
Initiate Tier - 1 Att, 6 skills | If snake takes 6 or more damage at a time, it will release whatever it's constricting.
Weapons: small fangs, constriction
Loot: Snake skin to be used for camoflauge?
Initiate Tier - 1 Att, 6 skills | If snake takes 6 or more damage at a time, it will release whatever it's constricting.
+1 in STR | Max Health: 40
+3 Grip | +4
+2 Stealth | +2
+1 Vocation - Constrictor | 5
+1 Small Weapons | 6
+3 Grip | +4
+2 Stealth | +2
+1 Vocation - Constrictor | 5
+1 Small Weapons | 6
Weapons: small fangs, constriction
Loot: Snake skin to be used for camoflauge?
Rewards:
Ezrum the Elder will vouch for the players to the other members of the tribe. What the players may not realize is that Ezrum's vote as village elder counts more than even the chieftain's. If the players can win over Ezrum, they win the support and trust of the entire Tribe.Optional Addition:
For completing an extra mini quest players can receive a more tangible and direct reward. Ezrum Speaking: On the first day these blasted critters showed up in my pen they racked the nerves of all my poor little kafoofu. Shalayleigh was so broken up she wouldn't leave my side, the poor thing. Well thing is I have all my kurdu trained to come and round up at the gate when I blow a tune on this special horn I made years ago. That night when I went to blow the horn the noise done spooked Shalayleigh and she kicked my knees right out from under me. As I fell the horn flew out of my hands and plunked in the well on over there. Sank straight to the bottom. Since then I've had to go and round my Kooploo up all alone; and on a broken leg no less! If you lilly whips aren't as hopeless as you look, maybe you can swim on down there and grab it for me. If you do, I might just have something special in store for ya.
The horn is a repurposed Kuzu horn that makes a sound very similar to that of the Kuzu themselves. It is at the very bottom of the well and nested within some twisted roots. The rest of the well also has spurs of roots jutting out, that will entangle the player if they are not careful. The roots do no harm in and of themselves, but can cause the player to drown if caught. They can be easily cut with a blade or torn with a STR check CL2. Players may attempt the listed checks as many times as necessary.
Endurance check with advantage before swimming to determine how long the player can hold their breath. Give them a number of breath counters equal to the number of successes. Remove a breath counter every time any of the following checks are failed. If a player fails a check on the same stage they would normally lose a breath counter, they only lose one counter. Once a player has no breath counters left, they begin taking a single level one injury every time a breath counter would normally be removed.
Swim Check CL2 to get down to depth. Remove a breath counter at this stage.
Perception check CL3 to find horn.
Multiple Acrobatics checks CL3 to avoid roots. Do this for descent and ascent.
STR check CL2 to remove horn from the roots. Remove a breath counter at this stage.
Swim Check CL2 to get back to the surface.
Rewards:
Ezrum will reward the players with a wooden box that contains one sling (short stringed weapon), 5 nose clips, and 5 Kuzu Glands.Quest 2:
Rothar wants his axe back. He ropes the players into breaking into Kofa the Mannaz Chieftain's house to retrieve it. Stealing the axe is a stab at Kofa's leadership capabilities. Running this quest: The axe is hanging above the fireplace in the central room of Kofa's house. The door is heavy stone and lovked from the inside. There are windchimes outside that will alert if someone tries to enter via the door. The best way to enter is through the smoke exit in the roof above the fireplace. If the players wait till late in the night, they can pour water down the chute to smuffle the fire and then someone small or skinny could frop through. The room is dark and the challenge will be searching for the axe without waking Kofa or his family. There is also a window on the either side of the house that could be used as an exit. They are roughly the same size as the smoke exit. It is simply a whole in the wall with a large cover that lowers to shut the opening and latches from the inside. These will be closed and latched at night. Rothar knows all of this except the location of the axe and will assist with the entire operation. He however is unable to enter the house in any way except the door as he is too large. Also he sucks at stealth and should not be the main guy of this operation cause that would not go down well. Perception CL4 to get a good look inside the room. Lower checks will reveal less, but still reveal some. No matter what, if players go into the store room, they will see large amounts of various foods. Kofa is secretly hoarding the food he receives from the tribe as tribute. He has no intentions of sharing this with the rest of the tribe.The house is small, but still much bigger than anything else you've seen from the Mannaz tribe so far. It is made up of three rooms, with the largest being the center common area with an open ended fireplace. A large rocking chair and a few small trinkets (children's toys) litter the floor. The back wall of the common room is made of stone to prevent fires while the rest is made of logs and stuffed with dirt as insulation. A handrawn map of the surrounding forest hangs on the wall behind the chair. Both rooms that lead out of the central room are covered by thick animal skins that part to reveal the entry way.
Kofa and his family are sleeping in the room to the left of the door and the room to the right is the storeroom.
Kofa Nuchiev
Kofa Mannaz Chieftain
A generic statblock for when the players are in combat with a typical Aesir hunter, guard, warrior, etc. Not to be used for specialized characters or difficult enemies. Italics indicate a free point to assign to any option with the following marker.
Adept Tier, 2 Attr, 12 skills
Weapons: Prefers to use spears.
Adept Tier, 2 Attr, 12 skills
+1 STR / +1 REF | Base Roll 5
Perception +2
Persuasion +1
Throw +1
Stealth +1
Survival +1
+3 Vocation(STR) - Warrior/Hunter|
+2 Reach Wpns
+1 Long Stringed
+1 Med Wpns
+1 Unarmed
Perception +2
Persuasion +1
Throw +1
Stealth +1
Survival +1
+3 Vocation(STR) - Warrior/Hunter|
+2 Reach Wpns
+1 Long Stringed
+1 Med Wpns
+1 Unarmed
Weapons: Prefers to use spears.
Loot by room
Center: The chieftain's axe hanging on the stone wall behind the fireplace. 3 spears of varying length and a quiver of (d20) arrows with a single long bow rest by the door. A stack of firewood lays next to the fireplace. On the end table is a small stone knife and on the mantle above the fireplace rest handcarved wooden images of various beasts. A handrawn map of the surrounding forest hangs on the wall behind the chair. Kofa's Room: Extra blankets and pillows. A set of folded clothes for each of the family members rests on a bench to the right of the entry way. A bag of d12 gems can be found on the bench and a shiny silver pendant (worth 6 gems) lies in the hands of a sleeping baby in her mothers arms. The pendant hangs from a string still looped around the mothers neck. Storeroom: Several large baskets filled with food. Various dried meats, breads, fruits, grains and vegetables, etc. An antelope looking creature hangs by the window upside down being prepared to harvest and store. A large stone table rests in the center of the room. On it lies a wooden box that contains 3 small stone knives, a mortar and pestel, a set of wooden plates, and a Kuzu horn. Extra Loot Destiny roll - Include everything listed at lower rolls as well: 1) Nada. Bits and bobbles, firewood, etc. 2-10) 5 Animal skin cloaks, 8 Bedrolls, 20 torches, 2 kindling sets, a small handheld hammer and a metal chisel (Small wpn) 11-19) salvaged metal parts and bolts, 2 sets of rope (50ft), 2 flasks of meade, a panflute, a silver pendant worth 6 gems, and a spare quiver of (d10) arrows. 20) Longsword (Med WPN)Quest 3
Rothar's ultimate plan to solve the food shortages for the Mannaz is to kill the Orchim Drake. Orchim Drakes are a natural preadator to Kuzu and the other game animals the Aesir also hunt and so their presence tends to draw predators away from their normal dwelling places. Typically the Orchim Drakes dwell northward in the swamps surrounding the Algiz river. For some reason, this year, a stray Orchim Drake has been spotted hunting in the wooded areas the Aesir dwell in much earlier than normal. It is Rothar's theory that either the two early migrations are connected, and that potentially, the Orchim Drake's early arrival has scared the prey animals away from the area. He hopes that by killing the Orchim Drake the game opportunities will increase and the Mannaz can hopefully hold through the winter. He asks for the players help in tracking and killing it. What Rothar and the players do not know, is that there is actually a mating pair in the area, that will be encountered together as well as a freshly laid nest. If they succeed, the resources gained from the two animals will grant more than enough food to feed the tribe through winter, and give them plenty of trade goods to sell next season as well. This will be the primary way players are able to resolve any conflict they have with the Mannaz Tribe. It will also serve as a direct contrast between Rothar's and Kofa's methods, greatly shifting the general opinion in Rothar's favor. This will win the favor of the tribe enough for the players to receive supplies and a map for their journey on the next Story Anchor Nature Check The Orchim Drake is a fierce predator that is often the first of many to show up. Thier arrival means the Mannaz may have to relocate entirely. The drakes have no eyeballs and are completely blind, but are able to compensate with hyper sensitive hearing and smell, as well as vibration sensing. They are also armed with a slew of spines down the back and tail that can be flung at alarming speeds. They become very aggressive and territorial during mating season, but are also much easier to track thanks to the sweet flower aroma they give off to attract mates. They are also brightly colored and easy to spot from a distance
The players will have to attempt to track the drake first. Rothar is allowed to aid in this task if needed and will help in combat as well. They must succeed at three tracking checks before finding the drakes in a clearing deep in the forest.
Tracking Checks: Survival or other applicable skill vs Orchim's Stealth checks- potential story elements include: footprints leading in one direction, dissapearing and then another set of prints leading in different direction, Discarded spines, loose scales, claw marks in trees, sweet aromas filling the air, clicking noises in the distance, trampled plants, rotting corpses of animals, or even Aesir hunters partially eaten, etc.
Upon finding the drakes: Stealth checks vs Orchim Drakes' Perception. Players may continue to try and be stealthy until they are ready to start combat. If they are noticed the drakes will attack immediately.
If the players are not noticed right away: Perception CL3 to notice nest with three eggs in it.
Orchim Male
Orchim Drake (Male Variant)
For: Rothars Quests Italics indicate a free point to assign to any option with the following marker
Initiate Tier - 1 Att, 6 skills | Disadvantage - Blinded w/ periphery senses (+1 automatic loss to all perception checks) | Advantage against stealth checks.
Weapons: Tail Whip (Med), Spines (Ranged or Small), Bite (Med)
Loot: Spines can be crafted into sniper arrows
Initiate Tier - 1 Att, 6 skills | Disadvantage - Blinded w/ periphery senses (+1 automatic loss to all perception checks) | Advantage against stealth checks.
+1 in REF | Base Roll 4
+1 Stealth | 5
+2 Perception | 6
+1 Vocation(REF) - Stalking Predator | 5
+2 Med Weapons | 7 (+1M)
+1 Ranged Weapons | 6 (+2R/-2CC)
+1 Stealth | 5
+2 Perception | 6
+1 Vocation(REF) - Stalking Predator | 5
+2 Med Weapons | 7 (+1M)
+1 Ranged Weapons | 6 (+2R/-2CC)
Weapons: Tail Whip (Med), Spines (Ranged or Small), Bite (Med)
Loot: Spines can be crafted into sniper arrows
Orchim Female
Orchim Drake (Female Variant)
For: Rothars Quests Italics indicate a free point to assign to any option with the following marker
Initiate Tier - 1 Att, 6 skills | Disadvantage - Blinded w/ periphery senses (+1 automatic loss to all perception checks) | Advantage against stealth checks.
Weapons: Tail Whip (Med), Spines (Ranged or Small), Bite (Med) Wing Burst (Lrg)
Loot: Spines can be crafted into sniper arrows, nest contains 3 Orchim Drake Eggs worth 36 gems each
Initiate Tier - 1 Att, 6 skills | Disadvantage - Blinded w/ periphery senses (+1 automatic loss to all perception checks) | Advantage against stealth checks.
+1 in STR | Base Roll 4
+1 Stealth | 4
+2 Perception | 6
+1 Vocation(STR) - Protective Mother | 5
+1 Ranged Weapons |6 (+2R/-2CC)
+1 Large Weapons |6 (+2M)
+1 Stealth | 4
+2 Perception | 6
+1 Vocation(STR) - Protective Mother | 5
+1 Ranged Weapons |6 (+2R/-2CC)
+1 Large Weapons |6 (+2M)
Weapons: Tail Whip (Med), Spines (Ranged or Small), Bite (Med) Wing Burst (Lrg)
Loot: Spines can be crafted into sniper arrows, nest contains 3 Orchim Drake Eggs worth 36 gems each
Rewards:
After defeating the Orchim Drake the Mannaz tribe will reward the players bountifully, which is detailed in the next section. In addition to this, the spines of the Orchim Drake can be removed from the body and taken to any fletcher and be crafted into Sniper ArrowsEnding The Arc
By the end of these three quests the players will have become local heroes, and accomplished their goal to win the aid of the Aesir tribes and Rothar. In return, the Mannaz now willing to help them with their overarching goal to get home, as well as release Rothar's exile. But first, the Aesir want to hold a feast of celebration in the players' honor. During the feast, a grateful villager will reward the players with a Hauler's Hog to help them with their upcoming journey. Throughout this transition phase the players should receive knowledge of the Othala Tribe, and Heimdall's Fortress. The Othala people is the largest and most equipped of the Aesir tribes, and they happen to be settled near Heimdall's fortress, the most likely place to hold answers for how to get home. During any down time between the feast and the journey to the fortress, players can tour the Mannaz village and shop for common items, request basic services, and seek information. The vilage is very small, and players should be consistently redirected to the Othala Tribe for greater services and needs.Chapter Rewards
a LEVEL UP a 3 skill points to each player a 1 Destiny point to each player dLOOT d 150 gems d 36 gems for each Orchim Drake Egg given (108 total) d Adventuring Gear for each player (Backpacks, 10 days rations, tents, cookware, bedrolls, 10 torches, kindling kits, waterskins, kuzu hair cloaks, etc) d 2 sets of rope (50ft each) d 3 vials of Berkanan Berry Tea d Hauler's Hog Companion d World Map of AsgardThemes
Through this series of quests the players will learn of Kofa's poor leadership skills, and Rothar's deep care for his people, even in his exile. They will see the contrast between people's reactions when you truly care for them, and when they know your only out to serve yourself. This will be their first taste of the 'true wisdom' theme present throughout the campaign.
The takeaway, is that the true wisdom that grants good leadership qualities is rooted in brotherly love. A leader doesn't take authority, a leader serves those around him with what he has and where he is, now. Despite circumstances.
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