The Dragon Tome
The Dragon Tome is a One-Shot adventure built for the MiniMyths Tabletop RPG game. It is meant to take 3-5 players about 2-4 total hours over one or two game sessions. However, you can feel free to expand on the guide outlined here, or create a completely new adventure of your own in the region of Glintwood!
Four Part Adventure
WARNING! Spoilers Ahead
The adventure begins in the wet and gloomy city of Stormhaven. Astrid, An eccentric dwarf merchant asks the party to steal a book from the local lord - Lucien Umbramere. She wants to keep Lucien from using the ancient and powerful book. The party will have an opportunity to discuss and plan.
In Thornecrest, Alderman Cedric Demeter will inform the party of bandits occupying nearby Greenbreak Stronghold. He will also advise to investigate the home of Zephran, a local suspected of dark magic. Zephran is missing, along with several villagers.
The book in question is locked in a vault under Stormhall, home of Lucien. If caught, the party will be given a chance to make amends by investigating disappearances in the village of Thornecrest. If successful, Astrid will ask them to deliver the book to Zephran, who lives in Thornecrest.
The old crumbling fort has been recently occupied by bandits, who will try to stop the party from delving deeper into the ruins. The bandits are working with a cult who seek to use The Dragon Tome to resurrect an ancient dragon who once terrorized the Glintwood.
STORMHAVEN
Stormhaven is an ancient, dreary city and serves as the capital
of the Glintwood region. The frequent rain and storms which
drench the area have given the city its name. The entire region is
ruled from here, by Lord Lucien Umbramere. Umbramere is a
cold, corrupt, and incompetent ruler, though he has no greater
ambitions than to cling to the power he has on this region.
A resistance movement plots secretly in the damp alleyways
and dingy basements throughout the city. Many operate from
The Dregs, a district in the lowest parts of the city, which are
almost perpetually flooded. One prominent merchant, Astrid Copperwell claims to be part of the resistance. Her shop, 'Opulent Oddities' is the largest, most colorful building in the High Market, a clean and vibrant district in an otherwise drab city. The shop boasts an eclectic collection of rare and unique artifacts. Most of the items hold little value to anyone but the most devoted collectors of antiquities.
If running this adventure as a one-shot campaign, it is best to start the story in Astrid's shop, as a group of adventurers being hired by her to steal an ancient artifact from the home of Lord Umbramere. She claims the heist is an attempt to remove the powerful tome from the grasp of Lucien, who may wish to use it for evil purposes. She will tell the party that the tome is sealed in a vault under Stormhall, and warn of the many guards who patrol and protect the manor.
In reality, Astrid is working with the Scalebound, a cult that seeks to resurrect an ancient dragon that once terrorized the Glintwood. Astrid and the Scalebound truly believe the people of Glintwood will be better under the rule of a dragon. They see the nobility as corrupt and ineffectual. While not entirely wrong, they are not blind to the danger and chaos that will be caused by releasing a giant undead dragon into the world.
Other notable locations in Stormhaven:
The Boar and Birch is a large stone inn where the party may choose to rest, eat, or plan their heist. The innkeeper, Bermin Drest is also a part of the resistance, though he has no affiliation with the Scalebound. If asked, he will express his suspicions about Astrid. He does not fully trust her commitment or her intentions.
The Dregs is the poorest district of the city, where many resistance loyalists can be found. They will be weary of strangers, as executions are common in Stormhaven. Most will not easily discuss their true allegiances, before their trust is gained.
Stormhaven NPCs
THE HEIST
Stormhall Manor is guarded at all hours of the day and night. Astrid will recommend sneaking in, though it may be possible to enter the building using brute force. The more guards that are killed, the more likely it is that the party will be unwelcome in the city, or even hunted down later on.
There is a front entrance to the manor, as well as a servant's entrance in the rear. Both are guarded, but the rear entrance is less heavily guarded, and there is an opportunity for the party to pose as staff and enter the building incognito. Use Stam checks for stealth, and Mind checks when attempting to deceive or persuade the guards. If the players take actions that may improve their chances of success, lower the DC of these checks by 1. If there are missteps or actions that would hinder their success, increase the DC by 1.
Once inside the manor, the party will need to make their way to the basement. Additional guards patrol the inside of the building, so further checks will be needed to reach the stairway successfully. There is one final, hidden entrance into the manor, which leads directly from the outside and into the basement. If actively searching for additional ways inside, a DC2 Mind check will reveal a small door among some shrubs. Behind the heavy wooden door is a stone stair down into the root cellar. The door may be unlocked with a DC4 Stam check. It can also be forced open with a DC5 Body check. If the party wants to try breaking the door open, it has an AC4, with 4HP. Keep in mind that breaking the door with weapons will create a lot of noise, and may attract guards both outside and inside the building.
Once inside, refer to the Stormhall Manor Basement card
included in the MiniMyths tin for details of each individual room.
Ultimately, the goal is to gain access to Room 2, and the
Dragon Tome within. This can be done by understanding the
mechanism that keeps the door locked with a DC6 Mind check.
The door to the vault (Room 2) is solid metal, with AC6 and 7HP.
Trying to break down the door with weapons will likely attract
attention from most of the guards in the basement, and through
the rest of the manor.
The second way to access the vault is to find the knight in
Room 8, and defeat him to get the vault key he is holding. There
are a few prisoners in the basement. Two prisoners in Room 6
are resistance fighters. They are weak, starving, and will not be
of much use in a fight. However, they may be aware of the key held by the knight. The goblin prisoner in Room 8 was caught attempting to steal from the vault, and will also be aware of the key.
If the party is defeated at any point during their incursion into Stormhall Manor, allow them to be captured, rather than killed outright. They can be brought before Lord Lucien Umbramere, who will ask them to make amends for their crime. Umbramere will ask the party to investigate several disappearances in the distant village of Thornecrest. They will be tasked with finding the cause, and putting an end to it. He will offer amnesty if they are successful in this endeavor.
If the party successfully infiltrates the manor, steals the Dragon Tome, and exits without being caught, Astrid has instructed them to return the book to her. Upon returning to 'Opulent Oddities', Astrid will ask the party to deliver the book to a man named Zephran in Thornecrest. She claims the eccentric scribe has paid her to retrieve this tome. In reality, Astrid is aware the Scalebound have already abducted Zephran, believing he is the only one who can translate the cryptic ancient text. She knows the search for Zephran will lead the party right to Greenbreak Stronghold, where the Scalebound are attempting to resurrect the long dead dragon known as Emberclaw "The Endless Inferno". By sending the party to Thornecrest, she is essentially delivering the tome to the Scalebound, along with several powerful sacrifices for the ritual.
Stormhall Manor NPCs
ABDUCTIONS
The remote village of Thornecrest is far to the east of
Stormhaven, a three day trek on foot through the Glintwood
forest, and nestled at the base of the Crookback Mountains.
People here are fiercely independent, but have recently
contacted Stormhaven for help. Several villagers have gone
missing, leaving behind no trace.
Depending on how quickly you want to move the story along, you
may wish to have your players experience the journey through
the Glintwood. Alternately, you can simply describe the trip and
skip directly to Thornecrest. If playing out the full journey, ask your players to roll a DC3 Mind check each day to determine if they encounter trouble along the way. The most common perils on the road are wolves, bears, and bandits. The bandits in this area belong to the Blackthorn Raiders, who are working closely with the Scalebound. You can use these "random" travel encounters with bandits to further explore the story of this adventure.
Upon reaching Thornecrest, the party may wish to seek out Alderman Cedric Demeter (if they were sent by Lord Umbramere) or Zephran "the mad scribe" (if they were sent here by Astrid Copperwell). The alderman's home is easy enough to locate, but few in town will speak openly of Zephran. Many believe him to be a practitioner of dark magics. Flynn Redbrook, innkeeper at the "Brass Bear Inn" is a suspicious man, but will have no qualms directing players to Zephran's hovel in the woods at the edge of the village. Similarly, the alderman will direct the party to investigate Zephran's home. There is some suspicion that he may be involved in the recent disappearances.
The hovel in question has been thoroughly ransacked, and the front door is broken off its hinges. Whatever Zephran's involvement, it is clear that he did not leave of his own accord. A DC3 Mind check in the hovel will reveal a hastily scrawled map. The map points to the location of Greenbreak Stronghold, a long abandoned fort in the heart of the Glintwood. If the party does not find the map, or returns to Cedric or Flynn with their findings, either of these NPCs will direct the party to seek out Greenbreak to learn more. Even without the map, there have been rumors of bandits holding up in the old fort.
Other notable locations in Thornecrest:
The Lumbermill sits at the center of this small village, and is the source of all outside trade. A traveling merchant may be here seeking to procure the precious lumber produced in Thornecrest. The merchant could also offer stories of increased bandit activity, and the suspected source of the bandits - Greenbreak Stronghold.
The Blacksmith is an important part of a village that relies on sharp durable axes and saws for their primary export. Greta Ironsong is a capable dwarven smith who primarily provides tools to the village, though her true passion is crafting weapons and armor. Her apprentice hasn't returned from a trip to a nearby cave. This is unrelated to the other abductions in Thornecrest. She may offer her specialty armor and weapons in return for someone finding her apprentice and his valuable tools.
Thornecrest NPCs
GREENBREAK
Greenbreak Stronghold was abandoned hundreds of years ago, and has since fallen into disrepair. Its once great towers have collapsed, leaving little more than a stone shell of the mighty fortress that once stood at the center of the Glintwood Forest. Legends tell of the stronghold protecting the valley from dragons in a bygone era. Few today believe that dragons ever existed. However, buried within the ruins is the skull of the terrifying dragon - Emberclaw "The Endless Inferno".
A fanatical cult known as the "Scalebound" recently discovered the skull, and has occupied the stronghold. They seek to complete an ancient ritual involving human sacrifice, which would bring Emberclaw back to life. Despite the deadly legacy of dragons, the Scalebound believe the dragon will cleanse Glintwood of evil and corruption, ushering in an age of primitive "purity".
The Scalebound are supported by the Blackthorn Raiders, and group of bandits who protect the cult and who also occupy the stronghold. The bandits are unaware that the cult fully expects the dragon to destroy them first. Their own loyalties to the cult are tenuous. The alliance was forged primarily due to the legend of Emberclaw's treasure horde, which they seek to claim for themselves. The believe the cult may hold the secret to its location.
Greenbreak Stronghold is about one day's travel on foot from
Thornecrest. The journey might take longer if the party did not
find the map, and did not ask the villagers of Thornecrest for
more information. You may once again skip the travel to save
time, or to maintain a satisfying pace to the game. Once the party
has arrived, refer to the Greenbreak Stronghold card included
in the MiniMyths tin for details of each individual room.
Ultimately, the goal is to defeat the Scalebound leader, Ravennir
and prevent him from completing the ritual. The stronghold has
several villagers abducted from Thornecrest. They are to be
sacrificed in the ritual. However, the party has just brought to
Greenbreak a much greater sacrifice - themselves. They have
also very likely brought with them the very Dragon Tome which
Ravennir needs to complete his ritual.
