Castles & Crusades Verdant Rage

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Verdant Rage
Author:
Mike Stewart with contributions by Elizabeth Stewart
Editor:
Tami Key, Robert Doyel
Cover Art:
Jason Walton
Interior Art:
Peter Bradley
Cartography:
Peter Bradley
Art Direction/Cover Design:
Peter Bradley
Interior Design/Layout:
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This module is designed for charac-
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Verdant Rage
The hooves of the bay stallion crunched loudly upon the pine
Therefore, they asked me to request a boon of you. That you keep
this book safe until a means to destroy it can be determined, and if
possible, glean some useful knowledge from the tome for use against
our dark foes.” Sighing, he shook himself, like a dog shaking off
cold water, as he stepped away from the bound pages.
needles littering the floor of the Everwood, making the hooded
figure leading the animal wince in consternation. As with all those
who ply their profession with stealth, such rampant noisemaking
was abhorrent to the nature of the man — a ranger by career
— traveling deep into the wild woods of the valley. The melodic
rustle of the leaves in the wind soothed the ranger somewhat as he
made his way purposefully toward the Great Oak at the center of the
Everwood, the forest’s very heart as well as the nexus of its power.
“What an appropriately peaceful setting for a meeting with a druid,”
the ranger mused, “though at odds with the burden I bear.”
“I don’t even read and it made my blood curdle just carrying it here!
Will you take the book?” the ranger inquired with a plea in his tone.
Arthur did his duty by carrying the work here, but dreaded a refusal
that might mean he would be forced to travel back to the western
strongholds with that foul thing sharing the trip.
The druid looked at the tome, interest showing on his features.
“Yes,” he replied after some thought. “Perhaps before you destroy
it I can draw some knowledge from it regarding our enemy, the
undead mockers of Nature and the Balance.”
Emerging into the clearing he searched for his goal, the druid Argus
of Everwood. Despite the open space before the oak, the massive
branches of the mighty tree arching overhead only allowed the
faintest glow of the noonday sun to illuminate the grass and garden
before him. The doorway into the base of the tree, not carved but
formed from the living trunk itself, was slightly ajar. Uncertainty
slowed the man’s step. Should he enter the tree unbidden or search
around for the good druid? His thoughts were interrupted by the
form of a man in russet brown robes strolling from behind the oak,
whistling tunelessly.
“Better you than me,” the ranger grumbled. He began to walk
toward the nearby spring. Just carrying that book made him feel
soiled. He glanced over his shoulder and saw Argus had opened
the book and was busy scanning the pages. The druid seemed to
flinch from the pages as if struck, but then steeled his frame and
purposefully leafed through the pages, each turn of the parchment
apparently requiring a force of will to perform. Arthur relaxed when
no apparent harm came to Argus, but then frowned to himself.
“Didn’t the Ranger Lords say the book was evil, an entity that could
corrupt the reader?” The young woodsman quickly banished the
thought. Argus was a powerful druid, and no simple ranger. “He will
be able to keep that thing’s evil at bay,” Arthur reassured himself.
No doubts on that account!
“Greetings, Argus,” the ranger said with a note of relief as he bowed
perfunctorily. “My Lords of the West have bid me seek you out and
beg your council on a matter most grave to the Balance.”
The druid smiled with amusement, a flash of white teeth in the
forest of his dark black beard. His blue eyes twinkled merrily as he
cocked his head to one side and responded, “Greetings, Arthur... I
see you’ve still the heart of a herald despite your solitary calling.”
Thus convinced, he kneeled down to gather the crystal waters of the
spring in his hands, splashing it on his face to clean away the dust of
his travels... and of the doubt that would not leave his thoughts.
The ranger shrugged with mild chagrin and smiled. “Alas, I hope
you’ll forgive the small bit of theatrics?” His face then grew serious.
“Argus, the Ranger Lords have given me something that requires
your immediate attention.”
Introduction
In this module, the party must discover what evil force has
descended upon the peaceful forest of Everwood and its guardian,
the druid Argus. But the party will soon discover that the forest’s
greatest guardian has become its greatest threat: corrupted by evil,
Argus now defiles and destroys the nature he had sworn to defend!
The dryad Eva has trekked to the distant town of Camraye, pleading
among the halls of man to aid her and the wood folk from certain
doom. Will your brave band of adventurers have the mettle to
restore the Everwood and defeat this once-noble hero of good?
The druid’s leathern face, tanned from much time in the sun
and open air, creased into a frown of perplexity as the woodsman
rummaged within the bags attached to the horse’s saddle and took a
small bundle out of the top of one, unwinding the twine to remove
the cloth that hid a book.
“A book?” Argus inquired with a hint of teasing to his voice.
“Arthur, have the Ranger Lords finally decided to permit me to
teach you to read?”
Arthur grimaced in mock disgust and replied, “No, this book is for
you alone to read and protect.”
Background
The Ranger Lords, goodly men, have gained possession of a foul
book of necromancy, the Liber Mortis. As noted in this artifact is
a sentient entity and strives to seduce and overpower any who read
its evil contents. With promises of power, the Liber Mortis brings
only decay and death to its user and those its incantations are used
upon.
He gave the druid the book, and Argus looked at its black leather
cover with a mixture of disgust and curiosity. “It radiates fell magic.
Necromantic I’d guess or I’m a badger whelp.”
“Aye, ‘tis true,” the ranger agreed. “It was acquired by some
adventurers in the west from a wizard with ill intentions.” He
scratched his stubbled cheek and continued, “The Lords know of
your long study of the undead and the ways to best destroy them.
Suspecting its power and intent, the Ranger Lords gave the book
to the Druid Argus of the Everwood for safekeeping. Argus was a
powerful druid, and had been a foe of evil and undead for decades.
The Rangers thought the book would not be able to corrupt Argus
2 Castles & Crusades
Verdant Rage
The hooves of the bay stallion crunched loudly upon the pine
Verdant Rage
Background
The Ranger Lords, goodly men, have gained possession of a foul
Background
and while he guards it they could inquire among the wizards of the
region to find one who would be willing to help them destroy the
dark text. They must be careful in finding the right wizard, since
they well knew that if they revealed that the book was in their
possession to any unscrupulous sorcerers (which most are, in the
Ranger Lords’ opinions), he or she might betray them to possess the
powerful item. The search for a wizard of good character and intent
would take much time, but the book would be safe with Argus and
his good-inclined allies in the Everwood forest.
Involving the Characters
The Castle Keeper has a choice of several options in order to get
a party of adventurers to the crisis in the Everwood. First would
be that they are simply traveling through the area on the main
caravan route, either alone or as caravan guards. If they entered
Camraye from the west they’d be able to hear the town rumors (and
encounter Eva the Dryad) to bring their attention to the situation. If
they traveled in from the east and therefore through the Everwood,
they could have a few random encounters during the journey that
could pique their curiosity which would only grow as they arrived in
Camraye and heard the other stories of events in the forest.
But the Ranger Lords were wrong. Despite the best of intentions,
Argus found himself seduced by the book’s power and guile. Seeing
the power and advantage to necromancy and other evil arts, he
began to experiment with the spells in the book, and with each
casting the book’s hold on him grew stronger and stronger. What
began as a rationalized attempt to “know thy enemy” by studying
the book led the druid to forsake his own goodness and beliefs.
Throwing caution to the winds, he began to experiment with some
of the monstrous rites in the Liber upon the denizens of his wood.
Using trickery, he provided several satyr hosts for his grave mold. He
even managed to infect the local treant Mistlebark with the undead
parasitic growth, and the poor creature wanders the woods in insane
anguish.
Another method would be having them encounter the satyr sent to
warn the Ranger Lords, perhaps mortally wounded and barely able
to whisper his sad tale and beg their aid before dying. They might
also hear rumors of the Liber Mortis and how it had been taken east
to a “safe location” and might pursue it to destroy the dark tome or
acquire it themselves.
Finally, the PCs might have heard that Lord Gustav of Camraye was
hiring scouts and woodsmen to escort caravans along the Everwood
route, for even if he dismisses Eva’s tale it has become obvious that
the route through the Everwood has become more dangerous.
As his experiments continued and grew in complexity and might,
his concern for subtlety diminished. As time has progressed, a few
of the non-corrupted residents of the wood have determined that
something is wrong with Argus and his most odd behavior. So,
after some deliberations they have sent Eva the Dryad to the nearby
human settlement of Camraye to beg for help. They mistrust the
humans, but with Mistlebark apparently unable to control himself,
the wood folk feel there is little alternative. A satyr has gone west
to seek the assistance of the Ranger Lords, but their stronghold is
many weeks journey and few believe that the Lords will be informed
in time to stop the malicious destruction of the Everwood.
The Town of Camraye
If the party enters Camraye from the east, read the description
below of the town as it appears and they travel through its length
and breadth. If the party arrives through the Everwood, simply
describe the below in reverse order, with the castle appearing first
on their left as they emerge from the woodland.
Traveling along the dirt road, you see a town emerging along the
horizon. The first buildings that greet you are wooden structures,
their rough white planking indicating their recent construction. To
Verdant Rage 3
Involving the Characters
The Castle Keeper has a choice of several options in order to get
Involving the Characters
The Town of Camraye
If the party enters Camraye from the east, read the description
The Town of Camraye
the left of the road is a horse corral with young boys feeding and
exercising the horses to and from the barn complex set behind the
running yard. On the right of the lane is a two story building with a
newly painted sign hanging just over the doorway. The sign depicts a
Pegasus, ivory hued on a black background. To the left of this can be
seen a display of ironwork and the telltale clanging of a blacksmith
hard at work can be heard.
the wood with her to apprehend the druid Argus. Why apprehend
the druid? The dryad replied that he had read a book and was
now very bad to everyone. As the townsfolk are aware of the dryad
and satyr preoccupation with pranks and other ways of luring their
young folk into the wood, they are convinced that it is just an
elaborate trick to get some human men out there to get lost in the
wood and otherwise amuse the dryads. Quite innovative, they will
remark to the player characters, but too farfetched for anyone to
believe. The druid Argus has been a friend to the town for decades,
and the townsfolk always do their best to respect the wood and its
creatures in return. Argus has done his best to protect the caravans
that travel through the Everwood and the town certainly appreciates
this assistance to their economic well-being.
Further travel into the town finds the two dozen or so domiciles
flanking the main road in varying degrees of repair, with the newer
and more elaborate homes readily apparent closer to the edge of
the town. At the center of the town the road forks east and west,
only to re-form again on the far side of the knoll, making a great
circle in the center of the village. Within this circle are several stone
buildings, with the temple and priest’s home along the west road
and the guildhalls along the east. Beyond this, the northern homes
are sparse and grant a clear view of the local castle whose towers
overlook the road and surrounding countryside. This fortification
is a “motte and bailey” structure, with a central stone tower upon a
hill and a set of wooden palisades surrounding the hill. Immediately
around this wall, a small moat of stagnant greenish-brown water
with a wooden drawbridge surmounts it.
The dryad will shout to the player characters that she is telling the
truth and to please follow her. She will tell the player characters
what she knows if asked further (namely that Argus was given an
evil book to study, it has made Argus evil, and he’s doing bad things
to the wood folk.) She can give vague descriptions of the grave mold
(see Appendix) but other than that has little other information to
offer (Castle Keepers discretion). She is quite frantic and will do
almost anything to convince the characters she’s telling the truth.
Note:
It is up to the discretion of the Castle Keeper whether the
party will be arriving in Camraye in time for the crisis to emerge or if
they will be residing in town for some time. Camraye is on the main
caravan route that meanders through the center of the Everwood
and so the town is located well for traders and merchant caravans
to restock their supplies before plunging into the five days journey
through the Everwood, or those coming in from that journey
needing to re-supply before continuing onward to the larger cities of
the far west.
If the party of adventurers agrees to assist her, she will lead them
immediately into the forest. She will know the locations of the pixie
hold, Mistlebark’s cave and of the assassin vine (area 8), but will
have no knowledge of the other encounter areas in the Everwood.
She can also lead the party to the Great Oak directly, but is unaware
of any of the encounters there, either outside or within.
If the player characters refuse to assist her, she will plead a bit longer,
but will eventually move dejectedly out of the town back toward the
woods. The town guards will continue to shadow her path until they
are certain Eva has returned to the wood. At this point the guards
will feel their duty accomplished and will return to the castle.
In any event, the Castle Keeper should insure that the party
witnesses a group of Lord Gustav’s soldiers (all female) forcibly
escorting a small dryad to the town edge and instructing her to
return to the wood. The dryad will beg and plead for the guards to
listen to her, but the four women warriors will scoff (albeit good-
naturedly) and tell her to play her little tricks on satyrs or travelers
in the wood and leave good honest folk be.
Camraye Random Encounters
Daytime Encounters: 1 in 4
d8 Encounters
Note:
Use the below as average statistics for any Camraye Watch
warriors encountered.
1 Beggar child (D6 = 1-3 honest beggar; 4-6 1st level rogue
attempts to pick pockets of party member).
4 Watch Guards (
These are lawful neutral, human warriors whose
vital stats are HD 1d8, AC 14, HP 4, 5, 8, 9. Their prime attributes
are physical. They each carry a spear and short sword and wear leather
armor and carry a small wooden shield. Their purses carry 1d6cp and
1d4sp.
)
2-3 Camraye Watch (1-2) (see average watch warriors).
4-5 Townsfolk
6-7 Merchant Wagons (1-3) with 2 merchants per wagon.
8 Special (see Special Encounters below).
Eva the Dryad (
This neutral good creature’s vital stats are HD 2d8,
HP 13, AC 17. Her prime attributes are physical & mental. Her
special abilities are tree dependent, tree stride, wild empathy and the
spell-like abilities entangle (2/day), charm person (2/day), and sleep
(3/day). Saves are at CL3. She has a spell resistance of 10. She attacks
with a dagger doing 1d4 damage.
)
Nighttime Encounters (1 in 6)
d8
Encounters
1-2 Thieves ambush (2-3); one is a 0-level lookout, the other two
are 1st level rogues and will attempt a mugging if numbers
are equal to the party, otherwise they will pass by and attempt
a pick pocket check and run for it.
If questioned about the dryad’s crimes, the guards will say that the
dryad had appeared at the castle gates begging to see Lord Gustav
and upon gaining audience pleaded with the lord to send men into
3 Townsfolk (1-4)
4-6 Camraye Watch (1-2) (see average watch warriors)
4 Castles & Crusades
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