DeadlyUematsu
Explorer
I'm running a d20 modern game tomorrow night and I want a quick critique for the night's adventure. Excusing grammer, spelling, and poor punctation, tell me what you would change, add, delete, etc. With that said, the adventure follows:
Quakes of Fear
Quakes of Fear is a d20 adventure, appropriate for a four to eight man party of 3rd to 5th level characters. The party has been hired to investigate a series of tremor that have been troubling the small rural settlement of Arrah.
Story Background
Arrah is being terrorized by a pair of bulettes mastered by a malicious shaman. The priest has also recruited the uncivilized children. With this, he plans to drive Arrah into ruin, so to continue lording over the stretch of land has he has always done in the past.
Town of Arrah
Arrah is a small town numbering eighty odd adults and just as many youths, one-third of which are orphans. A number of these orphans are feral and no better than animals. They fortunately keep to outskirts of the town. It is thier recent activities that have hastened the hiring of investigative parties (See "Feral Children" paragraph), though they are not the only problems plaguing the small town.
Authorities
Arrah is governed by a mayor named Graham Ketmet. He is an dreamer who hopes to expand Arrah. Unfortunately he is a bad planner and all of his plans seem destined for failure. The sheriff Wilt Sackman has maintained the goodwill between the citizens and the mayor. Despite this, Graham faces serious opposition in next year's election.
Sheriff Sackman (Tgh4, hp 26) is assisted by three deputies (all are male human Tough Ordinaries 2, hp 13). They mainly keep to the town, warning people to avoid wandering its parameter at night.
Pets
Pets have gradually disappeared over the course of two years. In fact, most wildlife has virtually disappeared over the same breadth of time.
The pets gradually disappearing has been the result of the feral children finding food for the bulettes. Several people have witnessed the thievery but no one knows the reason for the thefts. The bulette's voracious appetites have also depleted the native populations as well. Only the shaman has kept them from ravaging the town.
Train Tracks
Trains come to Arrah via the station in the northern part of town. The eastern and western railways have suffered innumerable damages over the past months. It is as if something had torn them apart with sharp fangs.
The train tracks were damaged by the bulettes.
Graveyard
The graveyard is a bit south of town. It is avoided by the people during the night. Corpses have been dug up over the course of the year, with bones and limbs have been taken. A number of witnesses have reported seeing small gremlin-like creatures prowling the grounds at night.
These activities are actually the work of the feral children. A number of them have become
cannibals and the shaman has encouraged this. He believes it will help instill fear and cut off morale. Furthermore, he uses the corpses taken and animates them as zombies.
Old Town Well
A month ago, the old town well had suddenly dried up and a new one was erected in its place. A brief investigation took place after the occurence and a newly formed tunnel was found at the bottom of the well. Crewmen refused to explore any further.
The newly formed tunnel was not created by the bulettes. Rather, a more maglinant creature has taken residence in the old town well. Those who wonder around the well alone at night risk attracting a third-magnitude ghost of horrendous visage and spellcasting ability known as the Mullins Bride.
The Mullins Bride was actually the male lover of the would be bride of Edgar Mullins. She murdered him when he told her she would go to Edgar. Then dressing him up in her wedding dress, she disposed of the body in the well.
Playground
The town playground is the lair of the orphans. During the day, they can be found here mingling with the other youths. During the night however they head down into the cavern (its entrance is hidden underneath a large wooden board camouflaged with grass, Search DC 20). They are hiding from the feral children (who have been attacking them underneath the orders of the shaman). They are protected by an amnesiac mystic called the Catcus Lady(female human Dec3/Mys3, hp 21).
Steven Moriah
Steven Moriah (Smr5, hp 18), a sickly but affable man, runs a small library in the northeast corner of town. He is knowledgeable in the strange and supernatural and has a small chance of books about such topics. His daughter, Stephanie Moriah (Smr3/Mag2, hp 15), lives apart from him. She keeps her magic a secret, using it solely for a small circle of friends and whoever her father sends to her.
Agatha Curlter
Agatha Curlter (female bogeyman Str3/Tough3, hp 42) operates as a slightly off woman during the day. During the night, she searches for threats (anyone not native to Arrah) to her children (the citizens of Arrah). There is a cumulative chance of encountering her on the prowl every night. If the party is unaccompanied by any citizen, she will spring at them. When she attacks, her face is usually masked by a crimson silk veil and wields a exquisite butcher's knife (+5 to hit, 1d6+1 to damage).
Bernard Vachek
Bernard Vachek was an orphan who successfully opened and maintained a general store. His father was a foreigner slain by an unknown unassailant during his fifth year of life and his mother followed him shortly afterwards. Born in Arrah, Bernard (his real name is Boris) knows little of his ancestral language and culture, but searches continually for the heirlooms that were taken from his father's corpse. He has a father-son relationship with Harold Birch that has recently been strained through the latter's nightly episodes.
Harold Birch
Harold Birch (male human Smart Ordinary 2) serves as the town's mortician. Using a book he borrowed from Steven Moriah, he has animated a number of zombies from the increasing pile of fresh corpses. After a near brush with death when he tried commanding a zombie of the shaman, Harold declared war against his rival necromancer. His activities have drawn the suspicions of the sheriff.
Erica Neil
Erica Neil (male female human Dedicated Ordinary 2) is a photographer who has been investigating the activities of the feral children, the increasing appearance of zombies, and the earthquakes for some time. She also unknowingly spotted the shaman and also took a picture of him. For her effort, she is terrorized, but Erica has managed to survive by holing up in a bunker so forth. One night every week, 2d4 zombies break into her house and attempt killing her. As she lives on the fringes of town, they do this relatively unnoticed. Formerly being a woman of ill repute, no one pays her mind. There has been consideration of tossing her into the asylum.
Will Cougar
Will Cougar (male human Charismatic Ordinary 2) lives near the outskirts of the town with his disabled father, Bill Cougar (male human Tough Ordinary 2). He is friendly with the older Miss Neil. Through a bet, he acquired an enchanted buck knife (which was stolen from Stephen Moriah). He plays music at the station for money.
Catherine Ruth
Catherine Ruth (female human Fast Ordinary 2/Smart Ordinary 1) is an elderly woman who used to be a small time criminal. She is an acquaintance of Stephanie Moriah and used her friendship to pilfer some artifacts from Stephanie's father. She has noticed one has gone misplaced.
Feral Children
The feral children have thier own seperate lair besides the bulette tunnels. It is a small cave hidden in the midst of number of natural depressions and elevations. The shaman comes here when he has buisness with the children. About one third of them, often the youngest, are here at all times. During the night, the eldest are out on missions for the shaman. The leader of the feral children is a charismatic and bright boy called Red Man (male human Str5, hp 27) and he always surrounds himself with 2d4 sturdy warriors (male or female human Str3, hp 13). He can communicate through broken Common.
Bulette Tunnels
The bulette tunnels are located southwest of Arrah. When they are not underneath the power of the shaman or hunting, the bulettes lair here in feast. The lair comprises of six large tunnels and three spacious chambers. The female bulette has recently laid a brood of eggs. In four months, they will hatch. The shaman is deciding whether or not to wait for this.
Descerated Ruins
The shaman frequents this small earth temple. It was formerly dedicated to a desert spirit, an enemy of his people. Because of that, he loathes staying here but he has found holding it useful. His magic is stronger here. There are also many traps throughout that may help dissuade pursuers. The temple is south of the bulette tunnels and the lair of the feral children. The grounds are patrolled by a number of zombies. These were all dug up from the
graveyard at Arrah. It is comprised by nine tunnels, three chambers, and one ceremonial hall in all.
The shaman is a male human Ded3/Mys6 with 45 hp. From afar, he appears ancient and feeble. But close-up, the shaman exudes with the vitality of a young adult. He wears buffalo hide pants and has cloven feet. His upper body is usually marred from crown to waist in fresh blood. He controls the bulettes mainly through DM's fiat.
Cactus Patch
A nearby catcus patch has sprung up next to the desecerated temple. The cause of this
sudden growth is an cactus treant. The treant has grown suspicious of the activities
occuring at the temple and the migration of animals away from Arrah.
Miscellaneous Encounters (Check every two hours, only during nightfall, 10% in town, 20% around perimeter, 30% beyond)
01-05 2d6 skeletons, on thier last legs
06-15 1d2 giant lizards, looking for food
16-30 1d4 wolves, hungry and will attack
31-50 1d4 herd animal, last of thier herd
51-70 2d4 dogs, will attack only if threatened
71-85 1d4 kidnappers (human TghOrd2, hp 11), kidnapping orphans
86-95 1d2 large monstrous spiders, looking for prey
96-00 2d4 zombies, terrorizing the wilderness
Edit: Add entries for Bernard Vachek, Harold Birch, Erica Neil, Catherine Ruth, and Will Cougar.
Quakes of Fear
Quakes of Fear is a d20 adventure, appropriate for a four to eight man party of 3rd to 5th level characters. The party has been hired to investigate a series of tremor that have been troubling the small rural settlement of Arrah.
Story Background
Arrah is being terrorized by a pair of bulettes mastered by a malicious shaman. The priest has also recruited the uncivilized children. With this, he plans to drive Arrah into ruin, so to continue lording over the stretch of land has he has always done in the past.
Town of Arrah
Arrah is a small town numbering eighty odd adults and just as many youths, one-third of which are orphans. A number of these orphans are feral and no better than animals. They fortunately keep to outskirts of the town. It is thier recent activities that have hastened the hiring of investigative parties (See "Feral Children" paragraph), though they are not the only problems plaguing the small town.
Authorities
Arrah is governed by a mayor named Graham Ketmet. He is an dreamer who hopes to expand Arrah. Unfortunately he is a bad planner and all of his plans seem destined for failure. The sheriff Wilt Sackman has maintained the goodwill between the citizens and the mayor. Despite this, Graham faces serious opposition in next year's election.
Sheriff Sackman (Tgh4, hp 26) is assisted by three deputies (all are male human Tough Ordinaries 2, hp 13). They mainly keep to the town, warning people to avoid wandering its parameter at night.
Pets
Pets have gradually disappeared over the course of two years. In fact, most wildlife has virtually disappeared over the same breadth of time.
The pets gradually disappearing has been the result of the feral children finding food for the bulettes. Several people have witnessed the thievery but no one knows the reason for the thefts. The bulette's voracious appetites have also depleted the native populations as well. Only the shaman has kept them from ravaging the town.
Train Tracks
Trains come to Arrah via the station in the northern part of town. The eastern and western railways have suffered innumerable damages over the past months. It is as if something had torn them apart with sharp fangs.
The train tracks were damaged by the bulettes.
Graveyard
The graveyard is a bit south of town. It is avoided by the people during the night. Corpses have been dug up over the course of the year, with bones and limbs have been taken. A number of witnesses have reported seeing small gremlin-like creatures prowling the grounds at night.
These activities are actually the work of the feral children. A number of them have become
cannibals and the shaman has encouraged this. He believes it will help instill fear and cut off morale. Furthermore, he uses the corpses taken and animates them as zombies.
Old Town Well
A month ago, the old town well had suddenly dried up and a new one was erected in its place. A brief investigation took place after the occurence and a newly formed tunnel was found at the bottom of the well. Crewmen refused to explore any further.
The newly formed tunnel was not created by the bulettes. Rather, a more maglinant creature has taken residence in the old town well. Those who wonder around the well alone at night risk attracting a third-magnitude ghost of horrendous visage and spellcasting ability known as the Mullins Bride.
The Mullins Bride was actually the male lover of the would be bride of Edgar Mullins. She murdered him when he told her she would go to Edgar. Then dressing him up in her wedding dress, she disposed of the body in the well.
Playground
The town playground is the lair of the orphans. During the day, they can be found here mingling with the other youths. During the night however they head down into the cavern (its entrance is hidden underneath a large wooden board camouflaged with grass, Search DC 20). They are hiding from the feral children (who have been attacking them underneath the orders of the shaman). They are protected by an amnesiac mystic called the Catcus Lady(female human Dec3/Mys3, hp 21).
Steven Moriah
Steven Moriah (Smr5, hp 18), a sickly but affable man, runs a small library in the northeast corner of town. He is knowledgeable in the strange and supernatural and has a small chance of books about such topics. His daughter, Stephanie Moriah (Smr3/Mag2, hp 15), lives apart from him. She keeps her magic a secret, using it solely for a small circle of friends and whoever her father sends to her.
Agatha Curlter
Agatha Curlter (female bogeyman Str3/Tough3, hp 42) operates as a slightly off woman during the day. During the night, she searches for threats (anyone not native to Arrah) to her children (the citizens of Arrah). There is a cumulative chance of encountering her on the prowl every night. If the party is unaccompanied by any citizen, she will spring at them. When she attacks, her face is usually masked by a crimson silk veil and wields a exquisite butcher's knife (+5 to hit, 1d6+1 to damage).
Bernard Vachek
Bernard Vachek was an orphan who successfully opened and maintained a general store. His father was a foreigner slain by an unknown unassailant during his fifth year of life and his mother followed him shortly afterwards. Born in Arrah, Bernard (his real name is Boris) knows little of his ancestral language and culture, but searches continually for the heirlooms that were taken from his father's corpse. He has a father-son relationship with Harold Birch that has recently been strained through the latter's nightly episodes.
Harold Birch
Harold Birch (male human Smart Ordinary 2) serves as the town's mortician. Using a book he borrowed from Steven Moriah, he has animated a number of zombies from the increasing pile of fresh corpses. After a near brush with death when he tried commanding a zombie of the shaman, Harold declared war against his rival necromancer. His activities have drawn the suspicions of the sheriff.
Erica Neil
Erica Neil (male female human Dedicated Ordinary 2) is a photographer who has been investigating the activities of the feral children, the increasing appearance of zombies, and the earthquakes for some time. She also unknowingly spotted the shaman and also took a picture of him. For her effort, she is terrorized, but Erica has managed to survive by holing up in a bunker so forth. One night every week, 2d4 zombies break into her house and attempt killing her. As she lives on the fringes of town, they do this relatively unnoticed. Formerly being a woman of ill repute, no one pays her mind. There has been consideration of tossing her into the asylum.
Will Cougar
Will Cougar (male human Charismatic Ordinary 2) lives near the outskirts of the town with his disabled father, Bill Cougar (male human Tough Ordinary 2). He is friendly with the older Miss Neil. Through a bet, he acquired an enchanted buck knife (which was stolen from Stephen Moriah). He plays music at the station for money.
Catherine Ruth
Catherine Ruth (female human Fast Ordinary 2/Smart Ordinary 1) is an elderly woman who used to be a small time criminal. She is an acquaintance of Stephanie Moriah and used her friendship to pilfer some artifacts from Stephanie's father. She has noticed one has gone misplaced.
Feral Children
The feral children have thier own seperate lair besides the bulette tunnels. It is a small cave hidden in the midst of number of natural depressions and elevations. The shaman comes here when he has buisness with the children. About one third of them, often the youngest, are here at all times. During the night, the eldest are out on missions for the shaman. The leader of the feral children is a charismatic and bright boy called Red Man (male human Str5, hp 27) and he always surrounds himself with 2d4 sturdy warriors (male or female human Str3, hp 13). He can communicate through broken Common.
Bulette Tunnels
The bulette tunnels are located southwest of Arrah. When they are not underneath the power of the shaman or hunting, the bulettes lair here in feast. The lair comprises of six large tunnels and three spacious chambers. The female bulette has recently laid a brood of eggs. In four months, they will hatch. The shaman is deciding whether or not to wait for this.
Descerated Ruins
The shaman frequents this small earth temple. It was formerly dedicated to a desert spirit, an enemy of his people. Because of that, he loathes staying here but he has found holding it useful. His magic is stronger here. There are also many traps throughout that may help dissuade pursuers. The temple is south of the bulette tunnels and the lair of the feral children. The grounds are patrolled by a number of zombies. These were all dug up from the
graveyard at Arrah. It is comprised by nine tunnels, three chambers, and one ceremonial hall in all.
The shaman is a male human Ded3/Mys6 with 45 hp. From afar, he appears ancient and feeble. But close-up, the shaman exudes with the vitality of a young adult. He wears buffalo hide pants and has cloven feet. His upper body is usually marred from crown to waist in fresh blood. He controls the bulettes mainly through DM's fiat.
Cactus Patch
A nearby catcus patch has sprung up next to the desecerated temple. The cause of this
sudden growth is an cactus treant. The treant has grown suspicious of the activities
occuring at the temple and the migration of animals away from Arrah.
Miscellaneous Encounters (Check every two hours, only during nightfall, 10% in town, 20% around perimeter, 30% beyond)
01-05 2d6 skeletons, on thier last legs
06-15 1d2 giant lizards, looking for food
16-30 1d4 wolves, hungry and will attack
31-50 1d4 herd animal, last of thier herd
51-70 2d4 dogs, will attack only if threatened
71-85 1d4 kidnappers (human TghOrd2, hp 11), kidnapping orphans
86-95 1d2 large monstrous spiders, looking for prey
96-00 2d4 zombies, terrorizing the wilderness
Edit: Add entries for Bernard Vachek, Harold Birch, Erica Neil, Catherine Ruth, and Will Cougar.
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