Introduction

The Horror of Talaraska is intended to be a starting adventure, originally written with the Dungeons & Dragons Rules Cyclopedia in mind. For further information on the adventure itself you can find the Background & Synopsis here. You can read more about the village of Cross Tree here.

The one conceit to the adventure is that the PCs should enter the village via the road from the west and preferably in the latter part of the day. If that doesn’t fit with the story you are looking to tell, it should be easy enough to make a change here or there and piece things together.

Cross Tree

The party should arrive in Cross Tree in the latter part of the day, after an uneventful day of travel. The road has been wooded for most of the day, but the party would have noticed the terrain becoming hillier since about midday. Even through the thick cover of the forest, the PCs can tell that the day is coming to an end. The band has traveled for most of the day and thoughts are likely turning to finding shelter for the evening. The distinct smell of roasting meat fills their nostrils as the road widens a bit.

Before them, the forest parts to reveal a quaint little settlement. Smoke rises from a few chimneys, but they also notice the charred and still smoldering remains of a couple buildings that were recently razed. Just ahead, along the southern side of the road (location #2 on the map of Cross Tree), some figures stand huddled together. An olive-skinned woman with long silver hair seems to be presiding over the tail end of a church service of some sort. Closer inspection would suggest that this may be a funeral.

The PC’s approach seems to interrupt the gathering and they turn to stare at the party. The woman waves a hand in greeting and approaches. “Welcome! Are you the ones who they sent to help? Thank the gods! We did not expect to see you so soon.”

The woman is Leagis Longfeather, a cleric of Mielikki (or any deity appropriate for the campaign setting you are using). For more on Leagis, see The Church of Cross Tree (location #2). Her greeting will likely leave the party somewhat puzzled, but she will not keep them in suspense for long. Stepping away from the mourners, Leagis will explain what Cross Tree has been going through in recent weeks.

Barely large enough to be considered a village, Cross Tree has always been a quiet little settlement, consisting of simple folk who largely live off the land. Residents occasionally trade furs with passing travelers. For items that are harder to come by, there are larger settlements within a few days of travel in either direction.

Being a follower of Mielikki, Leagis found the tranquil woodland setting quite agreeable and set up residence here nearly 10 winters ago. Since that time she explains that there has been little to no trouble from the outside world.

That all changed two weeks ago. It was about an hour past dusk when two traders arrived from the east. Both disheveled and wounded, they told of being ambushed by a group of bandits. Having lost their wagon and horses in the skirmish, they fled on foot. The attack had occurred within a mile of the settlement. Nothing like this had ever happened before.

Most hoped the incident was an isolated one. A party ventured forth from the village on the following day but failed to find any sign of the bandits. However, when a trapper failed to return after checking his traps last week, people became concerned. It was decided that two young men from the settlement would take the road to the west (the direction the party is coming from) and try to secure help from the nearest town.

Then, last night, the settlement was attacked. The bandits struck while all were asleep. They lit fire to thatched roofs and a number of buildings were soon ablaze. In the chaos that ensued, the blacksmith (Derek McQuarrie) was grievously wounded and the only other two citizens with any combat experience were lost.

Leagis is under the false assumption that the party has come to answer their call for aid. As it becomes apparent that they knew nothing about Cross Tree’s plight, she will be crestfallen. However, by the time her tale has been told, Leagis will have had enough time to size up the party and will be convinced that they can be of help.

She will start with the direct approach, asking for the party’s help with the bandits. If they resist outright or are hesitant, she will shift her gaze to the still smoldering buildings and fresh graves. None of the residents seem like they would be able to put up much of a fight and the cleric is not opposed to pointing that out. Without their help, Cross Tree may face another direct assault and cease to exist altogether.

Leagis is not averse to pointing out the fact that the party already seems to be heading in the direction that the bandits have been coming from. Even if they do not wish to offer their assistance, it would seem likely that the party may encounter the band once they travel forth from Cross Tree.

Some of the more enterprising adventurers are likely to test the waters and inquire as to what may be gained if they agree to help. Neither Leagis, nor any of the other residents will agree to join an expedition (they are shaken and feel that they have lost too much already). However, they would be very appreciative and are willing to do what they can to secure the help of the adventurers.

Leagis will not press the issue of the bandits too much from here. Rather she will allow the party to let everything sink in and be willing to answer any questions that they may have. She is able to offer the party a sum of 75 gold coins if they would be willing to deal with the bandit threat and return certain items that have been stolen. In addition, she will see to it that the party will not need to spend their coin on room and board for the night. Whether the party agrees to help or not, Leagis will invite them to join her for dinner at the inn.

The Cross Tree Inn

Cross Tree’s modest inn is named The Cross Tree Inn and it appears to have made it through last night’s raid unscathed. If the PCs travel with horses or pack animals of any sort, a stable hand will appear to lead them away to the stables across the street and will politely refuse any payment.

The silver-haired cleric leads the party over to the settlement’s largest building. A weathered sign above the doorway designates it as “The Cross Tree Inn”. Opening the door, the party will immediately know this to be the source of the roasting meat they had smelled earlier.

There is a step down to the earthen floor of the common room and a modest fire lazily crackles on the other side of the room. Leagis motions to an empty table in the corner and they notice that the inn is filling up for the dinner meal. Despite the common room being densely filled, there is a somber air about the place. Looking about, the party can tell that others are taking interest in their table. While none are gawking, it is clear that they are curious about the PCs.

As they are all seated, the cleric speaks to the group. “You are guests here, so I do not wish to make you uncomfortable. However, we are in need so I must at least try to help my people. Whether you decide to help us or not, please simply enjoy our hospitality.” The table will be attended by the proprietor himself, a burly fellow in a stained apron named Killian Merric. The innkeeper arrives at the table and humbly takes the orders for each party member.

Role-Playing in the Cross Tree Inn

It is possible that the party is already clambering to help with the bandits. However, it is also possible that they need more convincing. If this is a first adventure for yourself or some of your players, this is a good opportunity for you to fit in a bit of role-playing. It is likely that your players can feel the story setting itself up before their eyes but ideally you want this to be a cooperative experience, rather than simply a situation where you do all of the talking.

Leagis will stick to her word and not badger the PCs about lending their aid. However, she is curious about them, where they are from, and where they are headed. She will not be impolite and will respect and boundaries that the characters put up, but she will probe a bit. If your players have not introduced and described their characters yet, this would be a perfect opportunity.

The party will likely want to question the villagers about the bandits. If asked about their numbers? The villagers will claim that there had been anywhere from 6 to 8 bandits. They all appeared to be human and were led by a great brute of a man with two hand axes.

In addition to the monetary reward that Leagis offered, the two traders who had been ambushed will also offer an appropriate reward if their wagon and supplies can be returned. In particular, a satchel of medicinal herbs and business ledger were lost. The herbs in particular are of great importance to the village.

If party members happen to mingle with the villagers at the inn, they may hear one or more of the following rumors. Of course not all rumors are true. Rumors followed by an “F” are false.

• A dragon has been seen flying over the hills to the northeast. F

• There was an earthquake three weeks ago. While the village was spared, there were a number of tree falls and rockslides to the east of the village.

• One of the villagers may mention a legend that there are the ruins of a lost city located deep within the forest.

• One of the villagers may mention that the bandits used magical fire to light some of the village buildings on fire. F

• Local wildlife has been unusually restless and aggressive. F

• The barmaid (Karia Merric) found and antique suit of armor out in the woods and brought it back for the blacksmith to inspect.

Lodging will be provided for the players at the inn. If the party is willing to take up the challenge, the owners of the mercantile would be willing to help modestly equip them for their undertaking. The night will pass uneventfully and assuming the party heads out in search of the bandits the following morning The villagers will send them off with well wishes.

On the Road

The road leading east out of the village is heavily wooded. Assuming the party inquired with the villagers ahead of time, they would know that the initial ambush of the traders took place roughly a mile outside of Cross Tree. What the PCs won’t be aware of is that the bandits are currently camped about 5 miles from this location.

Depending on your game, hunting down the brigands could largely be hand waived away by allowing any PCs with the Tracking general skill to successfully pick up the trail. However, if you’re looking to prolong things a bit and convey the feeling of searching for their quarry, I’m adding a list of random occurrences below. Some of the results will pertain to the hunt for the bandits and some are merely mundane encounters. Roll a d10 and consult the list. Continue to roll against the list and play out the results (ignoring any repeat results) until the party has achieved 3 results pertaining to locating the bandits. At that point they will have closed in on the bandit camp.

1. Discarded Supplies: The party stumbles upon a small clearing where they find a few items—such as a torn piece of cloth, a broken arrow, or a half-eaten piece of dried meat—hastily discarded by the bandits. These items indicate that the bandits were recently in the area and they are on the right track.
2. Freshwater Spring: The party crosses a spring-fed stream. This crystal-clear waterway yields tasty trout, to anyone with the skill to fish them out.
3. Faint Campfire Smoke: As the party travels, they catch a glimpse of faint smoke rising above the treetops in the distance. This smoke is coming from the bandits’ campfire, and heading in that direction will bring the party closer to their quarry.
4. Boar Attack: The party startles a large wild boar and the beast charges out of the forest to attack. (AC 7; HD 3; hp 15; MV 90′ (30’); #AT 1 tusk; D 2d4; Save F2; ML 9; AL N)
5. Wagon Tracks in the Mud: The road becomes muddy in a low-lying area, and the party spots deep wagon tracks that veer off the road and into the forest. These tracks were made by the bandits as they moved the stolen wagon off the road.
6. Berries: A bountiful berry patch lines the side of the road, allowing the party a delicious snack.
7. Distant Voices: The wind carries the sound of faint, hushed voices coming from the forest. If the party follows the sound, they will find themselves approaching the bandits’ location.
8. Road to Nowhere: A warn game trail leads off from the road but eventually becomes too narrow to follow.
9. Broken Branches and Trampled Underbrush: The party notices a section of the forest where branches have been broken and the underbrush is trampled, as if a group of people or animals recently passed through in a hurry. Following this trail leads the party closer to the bandits’ camp.
10. Giant Bees: A loud buzzing sound leads the party to a beehive the size of a man. The bees will not mess with the party unless their hive is disturbed.

The Bandit Camp

The bandit camp lies just off the north side of the road, approximately 6 miles from the Village of Cross Tree. The road has been winding northeast, gradually ascending as it passes through the dense forest. Occasionally, the party may catch glimpses of the distant mountains to the north through breaks in the trees. Evidence of the recent earthquake is visible here and there in the form of downed trees, cracked rocks, and small landslides.

Unbeknownst to the PCs, the brigands have been experiencing increasing unease since the events of the previous night. The camp, initially set up as a base to raid the village of Cross Tree, has become a place of growing tension and fear. Kargan Pike, the bandits’ leader, had seen the village as easy prey, leading his band of cutthroats to harass the villagers with little resistance. Confident in their success, Pike instructed his men to establish a camp just off the road, close enough to launch further raids but far enough to avoid immediate detection.

While setting up camp, the bandits discovered a cave entrance hidden in the hillside, likely revealed by the recent earthquake. This entrance, flanked by trees and half-covered in debris, piqued Pike’s interest. Curiosity got the better of him, and he ordered one of his men to light a torch and accompany him into the cave. The pair disappeared into the darkness, leaving the rest of the group to continue their tasks.

That was nearly a day ago. As the minutes turned into hours, the remaining bandits grew anxious. They began hearing strange, unsettling noises emanating from the cave—low moans, distant echoes, and, at one point, a bloodcurdling scream that sent shivers down their spines. The night brought no relief, as the eerie silence from within the cave only heightened their fear. None of the remaining six bandits managed more than a few moments of restless sleep, and by dawn, the tension had reached a breaking point.

Now, with the sun up, a heated argument has broken out among the group. Half of the bandits are eager to flee, suggesting they split the remaining loot and leave Pike to whatever fate has befallen him. The others, more cautious or perhaps more loyal, argue that they should wait another night, hoping their leader will return and guide them out of this mess. Fear, uncertainty, and the looming sense of doom have frayed their nerves, and the tension among them is palpable.

As the party approaches the camp, they will likely overhear the bickering. The sounds of raised voices and the crackling of a smoldering campfire carry through the woods. With a bit of caution, the party should be able to spot the two sentries at locations #1 and #2 without being detected, and with further careful observation, they may glimpse the remaining four bandits arguing near the campfire.

The bandits are distracted and on edge, making them less likely to notice the party’s approach. Unless the adventurers make a significant amount of noise, I’d allow the party a surprise round of actions. If you’d prefer a random check, the bandits will be surprised on a roll of 1-4 on a d6 (as opposed to the normal 1-2 per the Rules Cyclopedia). The situation is volatile, and how the party chooses to engage—or exploit—the tension among the bandits will determine the course of the encounter.

Bandit stats are as follows:

• AC 7; HD 1; hp 4; MV 90′ (30′); #AT 1 short sword or 1 short bow; D 1d6 (short sword) or 1d6 (short bow); Save T1; ML 8; AL C.

• AC 7; HD 1; hp 6; MV 90′ (30′); #AT 1 hand axe or 1 short bow; D 1d6 (hand axe) or 1d6 (short bow); Save T1; ML 8; AL C.

• AC 8; HD 1; hp 5; MV 90′ (30′); #AT 1 club; D 1d4; Save T1; ML 8; AL C.

• AC 7; HD 1; hp 4; MV 90′ (30′); #AT 1 short sword; D 1d6; Save T1; ML 8; AL C

• AC 7; HD 1; hp 3; MV 90′ (30′); #AT 1 hand axe; D 1d6; Save T1; ML 8; AL C

• AC 8; HD 1; hp 4; MV 90′ (30′); #AT 1 hand axe; D 1d6; Save T1; ML 8; AL C

If the party calls out to the bandits or they somehow don’t manage to surprise them, the band will attack, albeit haphazardly. The brigands are skittish from the start, if two of their group are incapacitated or the PCs are seen to be using any magical attacks, they may opt to flee or surrender. If you are using the optional morale rules, consider having the bandits make a morale check at -2. Then I’d apply an additional -2 penalty again as each subsequent bandit goes down.

Captured individuals will beg for their lives and clearly be confused at the PC’s arrival on the scene. Having met no real resistance from the villagers, they will clearly be confused at the PC’s arrival on the scene. If questioned, they will gladly provide as much information as they are able, regarding their activities and what happened to their leader (at least as much as they know). If questioned about the missing trapper, even under duress, they claim to have no knowledge. They do not know what is inside the cave or what became of Pike. However, they will point out that their leader had both the missing business ledger and satchel of medicinal herbs on his person.

All of the other missing items from Cross tree may be found around the bandit camp, including the wagon and horses stolen from the traders. In addition, It appears that the band were traveling with some loot that did not come from the village. If the camp is thoroughly searched it will yield a small chest with 126 gp, 66 cp, a ruby brooch (80 gp), silver dagger, and bronze anklet (30 gp). The following mundane items may be found at the camp: 6 torches, a bullseye lantern, 3 pieces of chalk, a mirror, 2 flasks of oil, 100’ rope, and a tinderbox.

At this point, the question now becomes what will the party do next? Pike and one of the other bandits are still somewhere within the cave, along with some of the items that the party was hoping to have returned. Will the party venture into the cave or head back to the village with any prisoners?

Conclusion

I’m going to wrap it there for this installment. This post is admittedly much longer than I had originally intended and took me far longer to finish. However, real life work and responsibilities have been challenging distractions. I figured it best to post what I have so far and hopefully return with the next installment in a timelier fashion.

Thank you so much for taking the time to visit. These little escapes to fantasy really help to get me through rough situations at work. Hope you have a great week!

For more on the Village of Cross Tree, go here.

For maps & plot hooks, go here.

For my Idea Chest posts, go here.

For some random tables, go here.

Finally, for a bit about me and some general stuff, this is the spot.