A Hell-bound Fetch
[Phantom or Wraith] haunts this road, killing at his whim. He wears black armor
covered in unholy symbols and wields an oversized black iron greatsword. Each
time he is killed, the person killing him becomes him. If the players kill the
Fetch and take/wear his things, the villagers in the towns nearby will notice
and attempt to capture the heroes and bury them alive beneath tons of rubble.
Unwitting heroes wishing to avoid this fate must be quick to seek out a scholar
or a priest.
The fetch is called Iron Samuel.
He was a killer who slew the constable, then took the town’s girls for his own,
killing whoever tried to intervene. He raped and murdered twenty-nine people
before Michael Turner, the blacksmith, stuck a hot poker down his throat while
he slept. They burnt Iron Sam’s body at the stake, and his armor and weapons
were broken. Thirty-seven days later, Turner emerged from his smithy looking
exactly like Iron Samuel, wearing armor forged to look exactly like Sam’s. He
killed eleven in a fit of madness before Bill Mortonson gouged his eyes out
with a trowel. Forty-four days later, Mortonson appeared in Iron Samuel’s
armor, wielding his sword, and killed eighteen. He fled into the night.
In a funeral shaft dug into a weathered hilltop is the
forgotten grave of a long-dead sorcerer. Clutched in the remains’ bony fingers
is a stoppered vial filled with a mysterious green-glowing potion. Drinking the potion causes one to enter a hallucinogenic state for 2 hours, and to be visited by visions of forgotten, arcane gods.
The gods have polyhedral heads
(platonic solids) and address the PC as "Initiate." The PC may ask a question of each god. D4 is
concerned with ascension. D6 is concerned with progress. D8 is concerned with
war. D10 is concerned with measurement. D12 is concerned with the unknown. D20
is Advent, the God of Adventure, and will answer any question truthfully in
exchange for a random curse or mutation. The PC need not ask any questions.
In the swamp is an empty catacomb containing ancient
coins and jewelry, curious figures made of precious metals, and similar
treasures (with a combined value of 500 silver). If taken the thieves will be
unerringly tracked down in 3-6 days by the 3
Mummies [Barrow Wights] which inhabit this catacomb.
An elderly Ogre
lurks among the gullies and ravines. It is voracious and will fight to the
death; in fact, its only desire is to die in battle.
A clockwork creature is barely visible from within a
small pit crawling with poisonous
myriapods.
[Rot Scarab Swarm] Upon closer inspection, the clockwork creature is badly
damaged and cannot be salvaged, except for its left arm: A clockwork character
who takes 4-7 days to replace its arm with this one has its Strength increased
by 1.
The faeries direct you to the Unbreakable Stick, taken
from the world’s first tree. It holds up an unstable rock ceiling; removing it
will collapse tons of rubble on you. If only there were a way to remove it without setting off the trap…
Near the outskirts of a notoriously difficult to traverse bog lay a castle occupied by 6 Ogres led by a Champion.
A dozen crumbling huts mark the remains of an abandoned
hamlet. A solitary Living Tar clings
to the ceiling of the largest hut, waiting for prey. 500 silver may be
scrounged from the ruins.
Did someone say treasure?
A magnificent brass necklace. It is of exotic workmanship, set with stylized images of stars and planets. You can use an action to instantly and safely teleport yourself and up to five willing creatures within your reach to a destination chosen by the GM. This object has one use.
A matching pair of limestone
bracelets. They appear to have been made by an underground race of men. They emit a field in a 10-yard-radius sphere
around you that keeps out normal insects.
An elegant platinum and walrus
tusk breastplate. You do not become
fatigued from exposure to extreme heat or cold.
A bronze spearhead on a
birchwood shaft, engraved with images of the sun and set with obsidian flakes.
It is of ancient workmanship. The object
radiates menace. Creatures within 5 yards of it make Will challenge rolls with
1 bane to resist being frightened.