THREE FOR THE ROAD

THREE SCENARIOS FOR THE

WARLOCK! ROLEPLAYING GAME

Written by Greg Saunders

Cover art by Midjourney, design Paul Bourne
Internal art by Midjourney
Contents
Folk of the Kingdom 63
Dark times 4
Scene One: Hopeful
Involving the characters 4
followers 64
Game Statistics 6
Scene Two: Scornful locals 64
Scene Three: The lady 65
The Skratburg Rot 7
Part Two: Dark Times 68
Rotten times... 8
Scene One: The fire 68
Themes 10
Scene Two: Death on the
Skratburg 12
road 69
The Horror! 14
Scene Three: The riot 69
Dark comedies 16
Part three: Puppets 72
Red herrings 18
The child 75
Adventure Hook 18
A diversion! 77
All the world’s a play… 20
Ending the Child 79
Part One: Out and about 22
Aftermath 81
Dieter, The Mayor 23
Hilda, The Healer 25
The Sun King 83
Greta, The Gossip 25
A Sad Tale 84
Heinrich the ratcatcher 26
Introduction 85
Investigating the Rat Men 28
Scenes 86
Investigating the Wizard 30
Scene One: Moonken and
Part Two: Here ratty rat! 32
Curonis 88
Part Three: The wizard 36
Scene Two: The Attack on the
Part Four: Mad as a Ratter 40
Company 89
Conclusion 46
Scene Three: Yarkleburg
Village 89
The Blessed Child 47
Scene Four: Finnel 91
Blessed is the Child 48
Scene Five: The Dark Wood 92
Introduction 49
Scene Six: The Sun King 94
Themes 50
The Sun Stone 96
Life’s a journey… 51
Characters 97
Spectral wake 53
Aftermath 98
Fever dreams 54
The King’s Guard 56
The Skratburg Rot Stats 100
Blinded fools 57
The Blessed Child Stats 100
Never easy... 59
The Sun Stone Stats 100
Part One: Strange Tales 60
Rumour has it 61
On the road 61
3
Dark Times
 DARK TIMES
Dark Times
The following three
adventures for the
Warlock! roleplaying
game focus on horror and
mystery, and on travel –
first to a new town they’ve
never visited, and then
across the Kingdom’s
countryside, and finally to
the wilderness. In the first
adventure, the Skratburg
Rot, the player characters
will need to find the source
of poison in a well that
has caused a horrific
rotting disease to spread,
in the second adventure,
the Blessed Child, the
player characters are on
the trail of a mysterious
child capable of working
miracles, or so his
followers say, and in
the third, the Sun King
they must recover a lost
valuable from a crazed
new owner...
In all adventures, combat
should take a back seat
to investigation and
social interactions. Both
adventures show the good
and the bad in people, and
4
the player characters will
need to negotiate a cast
of non-player characters,
locations and scenes to
achieve their goals.
INVOLVING
THE
CHARACTERS
Both adventures assume
that the player characters
have at least a desire to
help their fellows, and
make the Kingdom a
slightly better place. Of
course, this isn’t always
the case, so they may need
a little encouragement.
What form could that take?
• Duty calls. If you have
the Blight Catchers book
and the player characters
take on the roles outlined
within or even follow those
careers, then getting them
involved is simple. Either
they will take on a desire
to investigate themselves,
or they will be told to do so
by a superior in whatever
5
Dark Times
Dark Times

organisation they work. escape is difficult, as the

This is the simplest way King’s Guard block the
to get the characters roads. It’s only a matter of
involved. time before they succumb
to the rot unless they
• Money talks. Another tried act. In the Blessed Child,
and tested way of drawing the boy’s followers clog
player characters into the the roads and draw the
adventures is them being adventures along towards
hired by someone close an inevitable conclusions.
to the action. Perhaps a Working against that flow
merchant of Skratburg is going to be difficult,
wishes to find a cure to the especially with the King’s
disease before their family Guard bringing up the
fall, or a noble is sick and rear… And those trolls are
tired of the Blessed child’s still on the look out for an
followers causing trouble easy meal...
in their town, and the
elves are willing to pay for
the recovery of their lost GAME
treasure...
STATISTICS
• I couldn’t help but get
involved… Finally, both Game statistics for all of
scenarios can draw the the key protagonists n the
player characters in adventures is collected
through just plain bad luck. together very end of the
Once they are in Skratburg, book for ease of reference.

6
 THE

ROT
SKRATBURG

7
The Skratburg Rot
The Skratburg Rot

ROTTEN TIMES...
As the sun rose over the the King’s Guard. The
horizon, our small group guards were stopping all
of adventurers rode into travellers from entering or
the town of Skratburg. We leaving the town, and they
had been travelling for seemed on edge and ready
days, and were looking to use force if necessary.
forward to a hot meal and We managed to slip past
a comfortable bed. the roadblock undetected,
but we knew that they
But as we rode through the would have to be careful
streets, we quickly realized in order to avoid being
that something was wrong. caught.
The town was eerily quiet,
and the few people we We dismounted from our
saw on the streets were horses and made our
haggard and sickly. Some way to the inn. The Jolly
of them were disfigured Marauder was a small,
and hid their faces, others rundown inn located in the
were missing limbs or had centre of Skratburg. It was
grotesque deformities. a popular stopping place
for travellers, but I could
We exchanged worried tell that business had been
glances. They nor I had slow lately. The innkeeper,
ever seen anything like this a gruff man named
before. Something terrible Karl, was haggard and
was happening in this exhausted, and he seemed
town, and we knew that we to be struggling to keep the
had to find out what it was. place running.
Before we even reached
the town, we had to avoid The common room was
a roadblock set up by dim and quiet, with only

8

a few other travellers
huddled around the
fireplace. The air was thick
with the smell of smoke
and sweat, and the sound
of coughs and sneezes
echoed through the room.
We made their way to a
table in the corner and sat
down, trying to stay out of
the way.
The Skratburg Rot
Karl came over to take
their order, and I asked him
what was going on in the
town. Karl hesitated for a
moment, then lowered his
voice and told us of the
strange disease that was
plaguing Skratburg. No one
knew where it had come
from, or how to stop it, and
the town was on the verge
of panic…
9
The Skratburg Rot
THEMES
The main theme of this
adventure is mystery and
investigation. The player
characters are tasked
with discovering the cause
of the strange disease
plaguing Skratburg,
and they must use all
of their skills, abilities,
and resources to gather
information and solve the
mystery.
This adventure is more
investigative than combat-
oriented. While there
may be some combat
encounters along the way,
the player characters will
primarily be relying on
their wits and their ability
to gather and interpret
clues. They will need to
talk to people, search for
evidence, and use their
powers of deduction to
piece together the puzzle.
Other themes that might
emerge in this adventure
include:
• Trust: The player
characters will need to
decide who they can trust,
and who they should be
10
wary of. Not everyone in
Skratburg is what they
seem, and the player
characters will need to be
careful not to be deceived.
• Compassion: The player
characters will encounter
many people who are sick
or suffering, and they will
need to decide how to
help them. Do they have
the skills and resources
to provide medical aid,
or should they focus on
finding a cure for the
disease?
• Power and corruption:
The player characters
may uncover evidence of
corruption or wrongdoing
in Skratburg. They will
need to decide how to deal
with this, and whether
they should try to bring the
perpetrators to justice.
Overall, this adventure
is a challenging mystery
that will test the player
characters' skills and their
sense of purpose. It is a
great opportunity for them
to use their brains and
their bravery to make a
difference in the world.
11
The Skratburg Rot
The Skratburg Rot

SKRATBURG
Skratburg is a small town experience a resurgence.
nestled in the rolling hills New businesses have
of the Kingdom. It has a opened up, and the town
long and storied history, is starting to thrive once
dating back hundreds of again. Still, it is a quiet and
years. In the early days of peaceful place, known for
the town, Skratburg was its fertile farmland and
a bustling center of trade friendly inhabitants.
and commerce. It was
located at the crossroads The town is surrounded
of several major trade by fields of wheat and
routes, and merchants corn and is home to a
from all over the Kingdom number of small farms
came to sell their goods and homesteads. At
and services. The town the center of town is a
grew and prospered, and it bustling marketplace,
became known for its fine where farmers come to
craftsmen and artisans. sell their produce and
local craftsmen display
Over time, however, the their wares. Skratburg
trade routes changed and is also home to a large
Skratburg lost much of its ornate church and a town
importance. The town went hall, where the town
into a decline, and many of council meets to discuss
its residents left in search local issues and make
of better opportunities decisions on behalf of the
elsewhere. Skratburg community.
became a quiet, forgotten
place, known more for its Recently, Skratburg has
quaint charm than for its been plagued by a strange
prosperity. disease that has affected
some of its citizens. The
In recent years, however, disease causes strange
Skratburg has begun to physical symptoms

12
 The Skratburg Rot
such as rotting skin and might visit the Town Hall
limbs falling off and has to speak to the Mayor
caused panic and fear or other officials about
among the townspeople. the disease, or to gather
To contain the spread of information about the
the disease, the King's town's history and politics.
Guard has sealed off the
town and is not allowing • The Church of the Thrice
anyone to leave. Despite Blessed: The Church of the
the presence of the Thrice Blessed is a large,
disease, life in Skratburg ornate temple located on
continues as usual for the outskirts of town. It
many of its citizens, with is dedicated to the Thrice
the marketplace and Blessed, the god of the
farms remaining open for Kingdom, and it is where
business. However, the the town's healers and
town is on edge, as the priests work to tend to
source of the disease and the sick and the dying.
a way to cure it remain a The player characters
mystery. might visit the Church
of the Thrice Blessed to
Here are three notable seek help or guidance, or
buildings that the to learn more about the
player characters might town's spiritual beliefs and
encounter in the town of practices.
Skratburg:
• The Jolly Marauder: The
• The Town Hall: The Town Jolly Marauder is a small,
Hall is a grand, imposing rundown inn located in
building located in the the center of town. It is a
center of town. It is the popular stopping place for
seat of local government, travelers, and it is where
and it is where the Mayor the player characters
and other officials hold might stay while they are
meetings and make in Skratburg. The inn is run
decisions about the town. by a gruff man named Karl,
The player characters and it is a good place to

13
The Skratburg Rot

gather information or meet under-equipped to deal

other travelers. The player with the crisis. Some of
characters might also find the patients are screaming
themselves drawn into the in pain, while others are
inn's dark and dangerous barely conscious.
underworld, where they
might encounter all sorts • The player characters
of dangers and secrets. come across a small
cottage on the outskirts of
town, where an old woman
THE HORROR! is barricaded inside. She
is ranting and raving about
As the player characters "the monsters" that are
investigate the strange coming to get her, and she
disease plaguing begs the player characters
Skratburg, they might to help her. When they
encounter several scenes investigate, they find that
that reinforce the horror of the woman's family has
the situation: all been killed by the
disease, and she is the only
• A group of screaming survivor.
townspeople are gathered
around a fountain, where a These are just a few
young boy has just started examples of the kinds
convulsing and foaming of scenes that the
at the mouth. The boy's player characters might
parents are frantically encounter as they
trying to get help, but no investigate the strange
one knows what to do. disease in Skratburg. As
they move deeper into the
• A team of healers are mystery, they will have to
tending to a row of sick confront the true horror of
and wounded patients in what is happening in the
the town square, but they town and do everything
are overwhelmed and they can to stop it.

14
15
The Skratburg Rot
The Skratburg Rot
DARK from rare herbs, another
COMEDIES is advocating for leeching,
and a third is convinced
Here are a few examples that the disease is caused
of darkly comic scenes that by an imbalance in the
could be used to lighten body's "humours." The
the tone in the midst of the player characters must
strange disease plaguing navigate the squabbling
Skratburg: healers and try to find the
one with the actual cure.
• The player characters
come across a group of • The player characters
townspeople who are stumble upon a secret
trying to exorcise the underground gambling
disease by holding a wild den, where a group of
and chaotic "dance-a- desperate townspeople are
thon." They are spinning betting their life savings
and leaping around in on games of chance. The
circles, chanting and stakes are high, and the
singing at the top of their player characters can
lungs, convinced that either try to stop the
they are driving out the gambling or join in and try
evil spirits. The player to win big.
characters can either join
in or try to talk some sense These are just a few
into the dance-crazed examples of darkly
townspeople. comic scenes that could
be used to lighten the
• The player characters tone in the midst of the
are confronted by a group strange disease plaguing
of bickering healers, each Skratburg. The player
of whom is convinced characters must use their
that their own particular wit and humor to survive
remedy is the only way to in this grim and dangerous
save the town. One healer world.
is pushing a potion made

16
17
The Skratburg Rot
The Skratburg Rot
RED HERRINGS player characters might
investigate the goblin
As the player characters traders, only to find that
investigate the strange they have no idea how
disease plaguing the disease started and
Skratburg, they might are just as puzzled as
come across a couple of everyone else.
red herrings that could
make their lives more These are just a couple of
difficult: examples of red herrings
that the player characters
• A group of townspeople might encounter as they
claim to have seen an elf investigate the strange
skulking around the town disease in Skratburg. They
at night, and they insist must be careful not to
that the disease is being get side-tracked by false
spread by the elf as some leads and stay focused on
sort of curse. No one trusts finding the real cause of
the elf, and they believe the disease
that he is up to no good.
The player characters
might spend a lot of time ADVENTURE
and resources trying to
track down and confront HOOK
the elf, only to discover
that he has nothing to do Here are three different
with the disease and is just adventure hooks that could
an innocent traveller. draw the player characters
into the mystery of the
• A group of goblin strange disease plaguing
traders came through Skratburg, once they are
the town a few weeks already in the town:
ago, and some people
believe that they might be • The player characters
responsible for bringing are staying at the Jolly
the disease with them. The Marauder inn when they
hear rumors of a strange

18
 The Skratburg Rot
disease spreading through are concerned about the
the town. They are curious strange disease spreading
and decide to investigate, through Skratburg. They
hoping to help the people want the player characters
of Skratburg and perhaps to find out what is causing
even earn a reward. the disease and stop it, so
that they can resume their
• The player characters trade with the town. The
are traveling through merchants offer the player
Skratburg when they characters a generous
come across a group of reward for their help.
townspeople who are If the player characters
sick with the strange try to leave Skratburg,
disease. They are moved they are stopped by the
by the suffering of the King’s Guard and told that
townspeople and decide they are not allowed to
to help, even though they leave the town in an effort
have no experience in to contain the spread of
medicine or magic. the disease. They have no
choice at this point than to
• The player characters return to the town…
are hired by a group of
wealthy merchants who

19
 ALL THE
The Skratburg Rot
WORLD’S A
PLAY…
The adventure is split into
four parts:
Part 1: The player
characters begin to
investigate the disease,
speaking with townspeople
and gathering clues. They
learn that the well has
been poisoned, and that
there are several possible
suspects, including a
group of rat men who have
been seen lurking around
the town, and a rather
unsavory-looking wizard
who has recently arrived in
Skratburg.
The player characters
must decide which lead to
investigate first, so parts 2
and 3 can be played in any
order.
Part 2: The player
characters confront the
rat men, only to discover
that they are actually a
20
group of child thieves in
disguise. The children have
been using the hoax of
the rat men to distract the
townspeople and cover for
their thievery.
Part 3: The player
characters decide to
investigate the wizard, and
after a tense confrontation,
they discover that the
wizard is innocent and
had nothing to do with the
poisoning of the well.
Part 4: The player
characters must continue
to search for the true
culprit behind the
poisoning. They eventually
discover that the poison
was introduced to the
well by the ratcatcher and
rogue alchemist Heinrich,
hired by the town council
to rid the town of a rat
infestation. The alchemist
is an agent of the cult
known as the Withered
Hand, and has been using
the poison to sow discord
and fear within the town.
Conclusion: The player
characters must decide
how to deal with the
rogue alchemist and the
aftermath of the poisoning.
Do they turn the alchemist
over to the authorities,
or do they let them go in
exchange for a promise to
leave the town and never The Skratburg Rot
return? Do they work with
the town council to find a
way to cleanse the well
and help those affected
by the disease, or do they
leave Skratburg to its own
devices?
The adventure ends when
the player characters have
resolved these issues
and brought some form of
justice to the situation.
21
The Skratburg Rot

PART ONE: OUT

AND ABOUT.
The player characters use their persuasion
begin to investigate the or intimidation skills to
poisoning of the well, extract information from
speaking with townspeople people, or they could use
and gathering clues. their stealth or deception
skills to spy on people or
There are many different overhear conversations.
methods that the player
characters could use to • The player characters
gather information from could offer to help the
the townsfolk of Skratburg. townsfolk in some way, in
Here are a few examples: exchange for information.
For example, they could
• The player characters offer to repair someone's
could simply ask questions roof, or to defend
and listen to what the someone's property from
townsfolk have to say. This thieves, in exchange for
can be a good way to get information about the
a sense of the general strange disease.
mood and concerns of
the town, and it can also • The player characters
help the player characters could use magic or other
learn about any rumors supernatural abilities to
or gossip that might be gather information. For
circulating. example, they could use
divination spells or other
• The player characters magical abilities to uncover
could use their skills secrets or learn about
and abilities to gather hidden knowledge.
information more covertly.
For example, they could Ultimately, the player

22
 The Skratburg Rot
characters will need to use for his own interests than
a combination of these and in serving the needs of
other methods to gather all the townspeople. Dieter is
the information they need greedy and corrupt, and he
to solve the mystery of the is known to take bribes and
strange disease plaguing engage in underhanded
Skratburg. dealings in order to further
his own agenda.
Below are the major
townsfolk that the player Despite such flaws, Dieter
characters could meet is a skilled politician, and
to learn more about the he is good at manipulating
poisoning and potential others and playing both
suspects. sides of an issue. The
player characters might
have to deal with Dieter
DIETER, THE during their investigation of
the disease, and they must
MAYOR be careful not to be swayed
by his smooth talk and lies.
Dieter is a thin, nervous
man with a perpetual look
Mayor Dieter can provide
of worry on his face. He
information on the rat men
is balding, with thinning,
and the itinerant wizard, as
greasy hair cut short.
well as any other suspects
Dieter has beady, shifty
that the player characters
eyes that are constantly
might uncover. If asked
darting around, and he is
about the rat men, he
known for being evasive
mentions that the town
and untrustworthy.
council hired a ratcatcher,
named Heinrich, to rid the
As the mayor of Skratburg,
town of a rat infestation.
Dieter is supposed to be
He speculates that the rat
the leader of the town and
men might have arrived
the voice of the people.
in town in response to
However, he is more
Heinrich’s actions against
interested in looking out
their smaller brethren.

23
 The Skratburg Rot

24

HILDA, THE
HEALER
Hilda is a kind and
compassionate woman
with a no-nonsense
attitude. She is middle-
aged, with short graying
hair and a practical,
efficient demeanor. Hilda
is a skilled healer, and she
has a reputation for being
able to cure almost any
ailment.
Regardless of her many
responsibilities, Hilda is
always willing to help
those in need. She has a
soft spot for the sick and
the suffering, and she will
go to great lengths to help
them recover. Hilda could
become a valuable ally to
the player characters, and
she will be able to provide
them with information and
assistance as they try to
solve the mystery of the
disease. Ultimately, once
they have identified the
poison, Hilda will be able to Greta is a plump, middle-
concoct an antidote.
Hilda has treated some
of the people affected by
The Skratburg Rot
the poison and noticed
patterns or symptoms
that could help the player
characters narrow down
the possible causes of the
poisoning. She will tell
them that all those who
have been struck down
used the town well in the
last three days - it seems
that it takes a day or so for
the disease to manifest.
Hilda believes that the well
has been poisoned, and
that the poison is causing
the strange mutations.
She finds this terrifying
- everyone in town uses
the well. She warns the
player characters that by
her reckoning, they have
only three days to find
the source of the poison
and stop the disease from
manifesting before the
whole town is struck down.
GRETA, THE
GOSSIP
aged woman with a love
of gossip and intrigue.
She is always on the
lookout for the latest news
25
The Skratburg Rot
and rumours, and she HEINRICH THE
is quick to spread them RATCATCHER
around town. Greta has a
round, friendly face and a Heinrich is a thin, wiry
perpetual smile, but she is man with a wild, unkempt
also nosy and is not above appearance. His hair
poking her nose into other is long and greasy, and
people's business. his beard is patchy and
unkempt. Heinrich's eyes
Greta is a good source of are dark and sunken, and
information for the player there is a manic gleam in
characters. She is well- them that hints at a deep-
connected in the town, seated instability.
and she knows all the
latest gossip and rumours. Heinrich was once a skilled
However, the player alchemist, but his reckless
characters must be careful and unpredictable nature
not to take everything she led to his downfall - his
says at face value, as Greta
experiments led to the
is known to exaggerate death of an apprentice
and spread false rumours. and got him chased from
If the player characters the Fesselburg University.
are able to win Greta's Drinking to hide the guilt,
trust, she might be able tonow he merely retains
provide them with valuable enough knowledge to
clues and leads as they trymake the poisons he uses
to solve the mystery of thein his role as rat catcher.
disease. At least that was all he
used the poisons for
Greta has heard rumours before he became a pawn
about the rat men - of the Withered Hand.
disgusting monsters! She’s The Withered Hand are a
also full of gossip on the secret cult that seeks to
wizard - you can’t trust spread chaos and discord
their sort! throughout the Kingdom,
and it was their urging

26
27
The Skratburg Rot
The Skratburg Rot
(coupled with his own
sense of injustice) that led
Heinrich to poison the well
as part of a plot to spread
the disease and create
chaos in the town.
Heinrich is a drunkard and
a liar, but he is intelligent
and resourceful, and not
to be underestimated. A
dangerous and cunning foe,
and the player characters
will have to be careful
in order to outwit him
and bring an end to his
schemes.
When the characters find
him, Heinrich is about the
town with his ratter dog,
Pinch. He’s been charged
with catching the rats. He’s
heard the rumours of rat
men, and says he saw one
near the well two nights
ago. He says he firmly
believes they exist.
INVESTIGATING
THE RAT MEN
As the player characters
continue to investigate,
they discover clues and
28
rumours that rat men have
been attempting to poison
the well as part of a ritual
to summon a powerful
rat man deity. The player
characters might gather
this information through
further investigation
and questioning of
townspeople, or through
the following clues:
• Witness testimony: Some
townspeople have seen
the rat men lurking around
the well at night, usually
in ones or twos. Sure it
was dark and they didn’t
actually see the creature’s
face, but it was definetly
rat men...
• Footprints: The player
characters might find
footprints near the well
that match the distinctive
clawed feet of the rat men.
• Evidence of the
summoning ritual: The
player characters might
find strange symbols
etched into the ground
near the well, or strange
artifacts that are
associated with the rat
men’s deity.
29
The Skratburg Rot
The Skratburg Rot
Ultimately, the player
characters might decide
to confront the rat men
first in an effort to gather
more information about
their motives and possible
involvement in the
poisoning. Dealing with
the rat men makes up the
next part of the adventure,
although it is equally likely
that the player characters
might decide to investigate
the wizard first...
or acting suspiciously. He
apparently arrived in town
a few days ago
• Suspicious behaviour:
Wilhelm has been
observed doing things
that the folk of Skratburg
consider out of the
ordinary, such as gathering
unusual ingredients in the
meadows around the town
and spending long periods
of time alone in his room.

The player characters

must decide whether to
INVESTIGATING
investigate the rat men
THE WIZARD or Wilhelm first, weighing
the potential clues and
The player characters evidence they have
will also learn during discovered to decide a
the course of their course of action.
investigations that an
‘evil-looking’ wizard, If the player characters
called Wilhelm, has been choose to investigate
seen near the well and Wilhelm first, they might
may have had a hand in try to gather clues and
the poisoning. The player evidence of his involvement
characters might gather in the poisoning. The player
information about Wilhelm characters must be careful
through the following not to underestimate
methods and clues: Wilhelm, as he is more
dangerous than he
• Witness testimony: Some appears. Part 3 of the
townspeople might have adventure deals with the
seen Wilhelm near the well wizard...

30
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The Skratburg Rot
The Skratburg Rot

PART TWO: HERE

RATTY RAT!
In this part of the with all sorts of junk and
adventure, the player debris, and it smells of
characters confront the rotten food and filth. On
rat men, following the first appearances, it seems
clues and evidence they to be as described – a
have gathered. rat man den, a lair where
the creatures have been
The den is relatively easy preparing their summoning
to locate. The strange ritual. The den is cluttered
clawed footprints lead and dirty, with strange
to a side alley and a artifacts and offerings
sewer grate. Failing that, scattered about.
witnesses have seen the
hunched and shrouded As the player characters
figures of the rat men explore the den, they will
scurrying down this alley come across various clues
at night… and evidence that reveal
the true nature of the "rat
The den of the fake rat men." Hidden under some
men is a small, cramped piles of rags are some
space hidden beneath children's clothes and
the town, built into the toys – the urchins’ prized
sewers. It is accessed possessions. On close
through a sewer grate in inspection the supposed
an alleyway, the entrance "rat man" artifacts are
partially concealed by actually just cleverly
piles of garbage and crafted fakes. Assuming
debris. Inside, the den is the player characters
dark and cramped, with come into this area with
low ceilings and narrow their eyes open, it should
corridors. It is cluttered become obvious that all is

32
33
The Skratburg Rot
The Skratburg Rot
not as it seems. the fake magical symbols
and "evidence" of the rat
In truth the rat men are man deity themselves, in
actually a group of children an attempt to make their
in disguise. The children, hoax more believable.
named Hans, Fritz, and However, they insist that
Greta, are a group of they had nothing to do
thieves who have been with the poisoning of the
using this den to hide their well. This is true, they are
ill-gotten gains. When they innocent of this crime.
were spotted leaving, the
witness swore it was rat The player characters must
men, and since then they decide whether to release
have been fuelling the hoax the children and continue
of the rat men to distract their search for the true
the townspeople and cover culprit, or to turn them
for their thievery. They over to the authorities.
are not here by day, but If the player characters
by night they loiter here, choose to turn the children
sharing their acquisitions over to the authorities, they
and boasting of their must decide how to deal
cleverness. Should the with the aftermath of the
player characters surprise hoax and the theft. Do they
them, it is easy to scary, work with the town council
intimidate or even charm to compensate the victims
the children and question of the theft, or do they
them about their motives leave the town to deal with
and suspected involvement the situation on its own?
in the poisoning of the well. The adventure continues
as the player characters
The children admit that navigate these choices and
they have been stealing bring some form of justice
from the townspeople to the situation.
and using the hoax of the
rat men to distract and
mislead them. They also
confess that they created

34
35
The Skratburg Rot
The Skratburg Rot
PART THREE:
THE WIZARD
If the player characters
decide to investigate
the evil-looking wizard,
Wilhelm, can choose might
confront him directly or
gather more evidence in
order to build a stronger
case against him. As they
delve deeper into his
activities, they discover
that Wilhelm is actually
a member of the King's
secret service, working
undercover to investigate
rumours of a rat man
infestation in the area.
Wilhelm is a tall, slender
man with piercing blue
eyes and a hooked nose.
He has long, thinning white
hair and a thin moustache,
and is often seen wearing
a dark cloak and carrying
a staff. Despite his sinister
appearance, Wilhelm is
a skilled and dedicated
member of the King's
secret service, dedicated to
rooting out threats to the
Kingdom.
36
The player characters
might uncover evidence of
Wilhelm's true identity in a
number of ways:
• A hidden badge or
insignia: The player
characters might find a
hidden badge or insignia
that indicates Wilhelm's
affiliation with the King's
secret service.
• A letter or message
from the King: The player
characters might find a
letter or message that was
sent to Wilhelm from the
King, outlining his mission
in Skratburg.
• A witness: Someone
who has seen Wilhelm
interacting with a member
of the King's secret service
might be able to provide
the player characters with
more information about
Wilhelm's true identity.
The player characters can
find Wilhelm at the inn,
37
The Skratburg Rot
The Skratburg Rot
where he has been staying
while in town. The inn is a
cosy, warm place, with a
fireplace and comfortable
chairs. Wilhelm can be
found in a private room,
studying a map of the area,
and making notes in a
small journal.
Wilhelm is not to be trifled
with, but he’s not going to
start a fight for no reason
and is a shrewd judge
of character. Should he
manage to persuade the
player characters he is
innocent, and also become
convinced of their good
intentions, he will reveal
himself as he’s looking
for allies. Likewise, if
confronted with the truth
he won’t deny it. Wilhelm
admits that he has
discovered that the rat men
38
in Skratburg are a hoax,
but that he has not acted,
but left the hoax in place
to draw out any real rat
men. He insists that he
had nothing to do with the
poisoning of the well. In
fact, Wilhelm is shocked to
learn of the poisoning and
offers to help the player
characters track down the
true culprit.
It they are clever, the
player characters can
persuade Wilhelm work to
with them to uncover the
truth behind the poisoning
and bring an end to the
strange disease that has
plagued Skratburg.
39
The Skratburg Rot
The Skratburg Rot

PART FOUR: MAD

AS A RATTER
As the player characters • Poisoned rats: The player
continue to investigate, characters might find rats
they should by now have that have been killed by
eliminated the wizard the ratcatcher either on
Wilhelm and the ‘rat his pole or in his traps,
men’. So who is left to sporting the same rotting
question further? The only ailment that afflicts the
other person they have townsfolk.
encountered connected
to the rats in the town is • Poison bottles: The
Heinrich… player characters might
find bottles of poison in
In this part of the Heinrich's workshop and
adventure, the player near the well, linking him
characters discover to the crime. He’s not being
that the ratcatcher and very careful (he is drunk
(unbeknownst to them) most of the time).
rogue alchemist Heinrich
is responsible for the • Eyewitnesses: Someone
poisoning of the well. who saw Heinrich near
They might uncover this the well on the day of
information through the poisoning might be
further investigation able to provide the player
and questioning of characters with valuable
townspeople, or by information.
confronting Heinrich
directly. The player characters
should easily find out
The player characters where the ratcatcher is
might find evidence of staying, either from the
Heinrich's guilt in a number town gossip of the mayor.
of ways: His home is located in

40
41
The Skratburg Rot
The Skratburg Rot
a dingy alleyway on the
outskirts of town. Within
the building is a workshop,
a small, cramped space
cluttered with all sorts of
strange and dangerous-
looking alchemical
equipment. There are
shelves lined with bottles
and jars of strange potions
and compounds, and a
workbench covered in
beakers and flasks.
When he’s not out and
about this is where the
player characters can
find Heinrich. He’ll also
flee here if threatened. In
his workshop, Heinrich
is a dangerous and
unpredictable individual,
and he will stop at nothing
to achieve his goals.
He might try to use his
strange potions and
elixirs against the player
characters, either by
throwing them at them or
by drinking them himself in
order to gain an advantage.
Some examples are
below…
• Elixir of Strength: This
potion imbues the drinker
with superhuman strength,
allowing them to lift and • Elixir of Madness: This
42
move heavy objects with
ease, and doubling any
damage caused. After five
minutes, the drinker is
render weak as a kitten.
• Elixir of Invisibility: This
potion makes the drinker
completely invisible for
a short period of time,
allowing them to sneak
past enemies or escape
from danger. Or at least
it should. Actually, the
potion only works for a few
moments, but the drinker
doesn’t know that…
• Elixir of Healing: This
potion rapidly accelerates
the body's natural healing
process, allowing the
drinker to recover from
injuries more quickly. All
lost stamina is restored,
but the breath smells
terrible for three days.
• Elixir of Poison: This
potion contains a deadly
toxin that can kill the
drinker or anyone else who
consumes it. It can also be
thrown at a target – best
test luck to avoid a sip!

potion drives the drinker
mad, causing them to
behave erratically and
unpredictably. Actually,
it’s just badly made
grain alcohol, and highly
flammable...
These are just a few
examples of the kinds of
elixirs that Heinrich might
have in his workshop. The
player characters must
be prepared for anything
and use their wits and
resources to outsmart
Heinrich.
If the player characters
successfully subdue
Heinrich, they must
decide how to deal with
him. Heinrich might claim
that the poisoning was
accidental, and that he had
been trying to kill the rats
that had been plaguing
the town. The player
characters must decide
whether or not to believe
him. They might consider
the evidence they have
gathered and decide that
Heinrich is telling the truth,
or they might suspect that
he is lying and try to gather
more information to prove
The Skratburg Rot
his guilt. About the room
is a piece of evidence that
proves his guilt...
On the floor by the table is
a parchment. It contains a
written note from ‘X’ telling
Heinrich to poison the
well, for the grater good
of ‘our wonderful cause’.
Scribbled on the note is
a sign of a hand within a
circle, the hand twisted and
clawed. There’s a similar
sigh tattooed on his back,
that Wilhelm will look for
should he get the chance.
Wilhelm can also confirm
that this is the sign of the
Withered Hand, a shadowy
organization that seeks to
spread chaos and discord
throughout the Kingdom. It
seems that Heinrich was
working on their behalf
when he poisoned the well.
He doesn’t know who it
came from, he just mutters
of the ‘secret masters’.
The player characters must
decide how to deal with
the situation. If he lives, do
they turn Heinrich over to
the authorities and try to
bring down the Withered
Hand, or do they try to
43
 The Skratburg Rot

44
 The Skratburg Rot
gather more information
about the cult and its
activities before taking
action? The adventure
concludes as the player
characters bring an end
to the crisis and restore
peace to Skratburg.

45
The Skratburg Rot

CONCLUSION
If the player characters Guard will allow the
discover that Heinrich player characters to pass,
was responsible for the grateful for their help in
poisoning, they bring bringing an end to the
an end to the crisis in crisis.
Skratburg. They might
present the evidence of If the player characters
Heinrich's guilt to the are unable to uncover the
authorities, or they might true culprit behind the
confront him directly and poisoning, the disease will
force him to reveal the continue to spread, and
details of his plot. the town will be in grave
danger. In the end the
Once Heinrich has been player characters might
dealt with, the player decide to flee the town at
characters will be night, sneaking past the
approached by the healer, cordon in order to escape
Hilda, to create an antidote the contagion. They must
for the poison. It turns out make their way to safety,
that Hilda might has the using all of their skills
necessary ingredients on and resources to evade
hand, and with the help the guards and outwit the
of Hilda and Wilhelm, the spreading disease. The
player characters can work adventure concludes as the
to distribute the antidote to player characters escape
the affected townspeople Skratburg and seek help
and help them recover. in finding a cure for the
If the player characters mysterious disease.
are successful in creating
an antidote, Wilhelm has
the authority to help them
leave the town through
the cordon. The King's

46
 THE

The Skratburg Rot

BLESSED
CHILD

47
The Blessed Child

BLESSED IS
THE CHILD
It was a foul night, and the We approached the group,
wind was howling through and asked if we could join
the trees as I made my them, and if we could share
way through the forest their fire and their food.
with my companions. We The group welcomed us
were a weary and battered and offered us a seat
group, having travelled far and a bowl of stew. They
in search of fortune. We introduced themselves
resolute and determined as travellers and pilgrims
but also tired and hungry, who were following the
and we were looking for a blessed child, a young
place to rest and to warm boy who was said to be a
ourselves. messenger of the gods.
They told us that the child
As we walked, we saw a had performed miracles,
faint light in the distance, such as healing the sick
and we followed it, and the injured, and
hoping to find shelter and reviving the dead. They told
hospitality. We soon came us that the child had also
across a small inn, nestled prophesied great things,
in a clearing, and we made such as peace, prosperity,
our way to it, imagining a and salvation, and that he
warm bed and a hot meal. had called upon them to
As we entered the inn, follow him, and to spread
we saw a group of people his message.
gathered around the fire,
huddled in blankets and We listened to the group's
cloaks. The people were stories with interest and
talking and laughing, and curiosity, but also with
they seemed happy and scepticism and caution. I
content, despite the cold for one am not new to this
and the darkness outside.

48
 The Blessed Child
world – if there was such we had a choice to make,
a child, I wondered about and that our decision
his true nature and his would have consequences.
motives. We knew that we could join
the group, and follow the
As the night went on, and blessed child, or that we
the storm raged outside, could continue on our own
we debated and discussed way, wherever that might
our options. We knew that lead…

INTRODUCTION
Rumours of a blessed child kingdom and restore order.
traveling the countryside
and performing miracles This adventure is
have reached the ears presented as a sandbox
of the player characters. of possible scenes and
Drawn by curiosity or situations that unfold as
perhaps a sense of duty, the characters track the
the characters set out blessed child. This is ideal
to investigate. As they for the games master
journey, they discover who is happy with a little
that the child's followers improvisation, as it is
are causing riots and possible to weave scenes
destruction in their wake. from the information
When the players finally presented which help to
catch up with the child, make the blessed child
they uncover a sinister your own. The actual route
plot by a necromancer to taken and the villages,
use the child's popularity towns or even cities caught
to incite rebellion and up in the madness is left
destabilize the kingdom. to the games master, so
The players must now they may easily adapt the
confront the necromancer adventure to their own
in a race to save the game.

49
The Blessed Child
THEMES
The major themes of the
adventure are travel,
horror, madness, and
greed. Here are some
examples of how these
themes manifest during
the adventure:
Travel: The players will
need to move across the
countryside in search of
the blessed child, travelling
in the wake of his
followers and encountering
various towns and villages
along the way. This allows
for exploration as well as
encounters with locals
and other travellers. The
games master could also
leverage the journey itself
to introduce challenges
and obstacles, such as
harsh weather, dangerous
terrain, or hostile
creatures.
Horror: The revelation
that the blessed
child is actually a
corpse controlled by a
necromancer should be a
shocking and disturbing
moment for the players.
50
The necromancer himself
is a terrifying and
malevolent villain, using
dark magic to achieve his
goals. On their journey,
the players might also
encounter other horrors
along the way, such as
cursed ruins, haunted
forests, or mad cultists.
Madness: The
necromancer's plan
to incite rebellion and
destabilize the Kingdom
involves driving some of
the child's followers to
madness with dreams
and an evil miasma,
causing them to lash out
and destroy everything
in their path. On their
journey the players might
encounter individuals who
have been driven insane
by the child's influence,
or who are suffering from
hallucinations or delusions.
The players themselves
could also be affected
by the madness, either
through supernatural
means or through the
stress and danger of the
situation, although they will
have some protection...

Greed: The promise of
miracles and blessings
attracts some followers
of the blessed child who
are motivated by greed.
They are seeking wealth,
power, or other material
gain, and are willing to do
whatever it takes to get it.
The players might even be
tempted by the prospect
of the child’s promises
themselves…
LIFE’S A
JOURNEY…
Below is an outline for the
acts in the adventure:
• Part one: As they travel
the player characters hear
rumours of the blessed
child and ultimately decide
to investigate, or at least
to follow. This part of the
adventure serves to hook
the characters into the
narrative.
• Part two: The players
follow the trail of the
blessed child, drawing ever
The Blessed Child
closer, and encountering
towns and villages that
have been devastated by
riots and looting. They
interact with various NPCs,
gather clues as to the
child’s nature, and face
challenges and encounters
along the way.
• Part three: The players
finally catch up with
the blessed child and
discover that he is a
corpse animated by a
necromancer. They learn
about the necromancer’s
his plan to incite rebellion
and destabilize the
kingdom. The players must
now decide how to deal
with the necromancer.
• Part four: The players
confront the necromancer
and his minions in a final
showdown. If they succeed,
they are hailed as heroes
and rewarded for their
bravery. If they fail, the
kingdom may be plunged
into chaos, and the players
will have to find a way to
set things right.
51
 The Blessed Child

52
 The Blessed Child
SPECTRAL possessed or controlled.
The local folk attribute
WAKE the deaths to natural
causes, such as illness or
During the adventure, the
accidents, but the player
evil presence of the child
characters might suspect
and the necromancer stirs
that something more
up undead emanations
sinister is at work as the
in their wake, that get
wight of evidence builds.
stronger the closer one
gets. Here are some
• Unnatural occurrences:
examples of supernatural
The player characters
echoes that the player
might witness or
characters can see the
experience unnatural
child leave in his wake,
occurrences, which seem
which are unsettling and
to be related to children.
horrific but not obvious,
The occurrences might
hinting at something
involve strange childlike
deeply amiss rather than
noises, such as whispers,
revealing it outright.
laughter, or screams,
which seem to come from
• Mysterious deaths: As
nowhere and everywhere.
they travel, the player
As they draw closer to
characters come across
the child the occurrences
a series of mysterious
also involve strange
deaths, which are all
visions, such as ghostly
related to the child's
apparitions of children, or
presence. The deaths
supernatural phenomena,
involve people who have
such as lights or shadows.
opposed or challenged
For some the occurrences
the child, or who have
might be dismissed as
refused to join his cause.
hallucinations, or as tricks
The deaths also involve
of the mind, but from
people who have displayed
their persistence and
unusual or abnormal
consistency the player
behaviour, or who have
characters might suspect
shown signs of being
that something more

53
The Blessed Child
malevolent is at play. them in a language they
Suspicious behaviour: The don't understand. They
player characters observe could dream of a child
or encounter increasing as a harbinger of doom,
numbers of people who who predicts or causes
are exhibiting strange disasters, such as fires,
and extreme behaviour, plagues, or wars. They
which seems to be related might even dream of
to the child's presence. children as a demonic
People become excessively presence, who tempts or
devoted, fanatical, or corrupts with promises
paranoid. of power, wealth, or
knowledge.

FEVER DREAMS • Dreams of manipulation:

The player characters
As they draw closer to the might dream of children
child, the player characters as figures of manipulation,
will also experience who use their charisma to
ominous and foreboding control and deceive people.
dreams related to children. They might see a child
At their most powerful, as a puppet master, who
these could manifest more pulls the strings of their
as waking hallucinations. followers like dolls, or as a
con artist, who uses tricks
• Dreams of despair: and illusions to deceive.
The player characters Perhaps they dream of
dream of children as children as manipulators,
figures of despair, who who twists thoughts and
bring darkness and feelings, or as liars, who
hopelessness wherever feeds false information.
they go. They might dream
of a child as a blackened • Dreams of possession:
shadow, a twisted The player characters
corpse, or a ghostly might dream of children as
wraith, who whispers to figures of possession, who
take over their bodies and

54

their minds. They might
dream of a child as an
invader, who enters their
bodies through their eyes,
their mouths, or their ears,
and who takes control
of their actions and their
thoughts. It might seem
that a child is a parasite,
who feeds on their life
force, or as a virus, who
spreads their influence
to others. Perhaps they
have a vision of a child
The Blessed Child
as a possessive force,
who demands complete
loyalty and obedience, or
as a destructive force, who
destroys everything they
encounter.
These dreams are
disturbing and unsettling,
and can be used by the
games master to ramp up
the feeling of horror and
impending doom.
55
The Blessed Child
THE KING’S
GUARD
Throughout the adventure,
the player characters
might wonder why the
army and King’s Guard
are not able to stop the
destruction caused by
the child. In truth King's
Guard are unable to deal
with the child as they are
the focal point for the
wrath of his followers. The
child's followers see the
King's Guard as enemies,
oppressors, and heretics,
and they attack or oppose
them whenever they
can. Outnumbered and
outmatched by the child's
followers, who are more
passionate, more fanatical,
and more willing to fight
or die for their cause,
the King's Guard are also
unable to use force or
violence against the child's
followers, as they are
protected by the public's
sympathy or support.
As a result, the King's
Guard are unable to
get close to the child,
or to capture or detain
56
him. They are forced to
retreat, to negotiate, or
to compromise, in order
to avoid confrontations
or escalation. The King's
Guard are also unable
to gather intelligence or
evidence against the child,
as they are denied access
to the child's followers, or
to the child's locations or
activities. They are left in
the dark, and are unable
to understand or predict
the child's movements or
intentions – they are also
subject to the child’s dark
influence.
Only a smaller group, such
as the player characters,
has a chance to get close
to the child, as they are
not bound by the same
rules or restrictions as the
King's Guard. The player
characters can use their
stealth and their cunning to
infiltrate the child's ranks,
and to gather intelligence
or evidence. They can
also use their skills, their
resources to neutralize or
disable the child's powers,
or to expose or defeat the
necromancer. The player
 The Blessed Child
characters can take the tricks, illusions, and lies
risk and the initiative, and to conceal the truth.
can act where the King's These followers are be
Guard cannot. hypnotized, charmed, and
brainwashed by the child's
voice and presence. They
BLINDED FOOLS might see what they want
to see, or what they are
Despite the obvious danger told to see.
that surrounds the child,
followers still flock to him. • Fear: For some, it is a
Why? The child's followers fear of challenging or
might not see what he confronting the child that
really is for several makes them follow him –
reasons: they fear the consequences
of not doing so. They might
• Ignorance: Some be afraid of losing their
followers do not know faith, their hope, their
or understand the true status, or their lives. They
danger of the child, or are afraid of the child's
might not want to believe supposed powers, or his
it. They are be blinded by ardent follower’s wrath.
their faith, their hope, their They are afraid to speak
desperation, or their greed. out, or to question.
They believe that the child
is a divine messenger, a • Loyalty: Some followers
saviour, a prophet, and feel a sense of loyalty
a miracle worker. They to the child, and might
ignore or dismiss any be willing to overlook or
evidence that contradicts defend his actions and
their beliefs. those of his more fanatical
followers. They might see
• Deception: Other the child as their leader,
followers are deceived their mentor, their friend,
by the child or the or their god. They might be
necromancer, who uses willing to do whatever it
takes to please them.

57
 The Blessed Child

58
 The Blessed Child
NEVER EASY... might become very scarce.
They might have to rely on
It is worth noting that their wits, their skills, or
depending on how much their charm to get what
emphasis the games they need. If this is the
master wishes to give case, they might also have
it, the player characters to make difficult choices
might have to deal with about what to prioritize or
limited resources, such sacrifice. Be aware though
as money, equipment, that some players find
or supplies, which could inventory management
make it harder for them very dull, so the games
to complete their mission. master is encouraged to
The child’s wake is full look at their group and
of destruction, and even assess whether this aspect
something a simple as food of play will be fun.

59
The Blessed Child

PART ONE:
STRANGE TALES
The adventure begins challenges and encounters
with the players hearing along the way, such
rumours of a blessed child as harsh weather and
with miraculous powers. dangerous terrain. They
These rumours come will also increasingly
from various sources, encounter towns and
such as general gossip villages that have been
amongst otherwise normal affected by the child's
travellers on the road, or influence, either positively
personal encounters with or negatively. In some
the child's followers. As a cases, they might witness
result, the players might first-hand the violence and
decide to investigate out of destruction caused by the
curiosity, a sense of duty, child's followers.
or for personal gain.
Act One will also involve
To prepare for their the players interacting with
journey, the players need various NPCs, including
to gather information about followers of the blessed
the child's whereabouts. child, local authorities,
Initially this might and other travellers.
be difficult, involving These interactions could
questioning those they provide opportunities for
pass, but as the child’s roleplaying, as well as the
influence grows then chance to gather clues and
the streams of followers information about the child
should be easy to follow. and his plans. The players
might also encounter
As they set out on their potential allies or enemies,
journey, the players who could help or hinder
will encounter various them in their quest.

60
 The Blessed Child
RUMOUR HAS • A small town that has
been abandoned by most of
IT
its residents, who have all
joined the child's followers.
Here are some example
The players encounter a
rumours that the players
few stragglers who are too
might hear about the
old, sick, or poor to leave,
blessed child as the
and who speculate on the
adventure begins.
child's whereabouts or
motivations.
• The child is a holy
messenger sent by the
• The player characters
gods to heal the sick and
encounter a group of
bring peace to the world.
bandits who have been
preying on the child's
• The child has miraculous
followers, stealing their
powers that can cure any
money and possessions.
illness, raise the dead, or
The players might be
even turn water into gold.
hired by the followers for
protection, or might decide
• The child's touch can
to join forces with the
bring good fortune and
bandits to turn a profit.
blessings to those who
believe in him.
• The characters encounter
a large crowd of followers
• The child is a prophecy
camped out by a river,
come true, heralding a
waiting for the child to
new age of prosperity and
come and perform a
enlightenment.
miracle. The players hear
of the child healing a
sick person, while others
ON THE ROAD mutter that the miracle
was a hoax, leading to
Here are some encounters tensions and perhaps even
that the players might a fight.
experience on their journey
as the adventure begins:

61
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62
 The Blessed Child
• The player characters • Ulrike, a tough adventurer
pass a group of unhinged who is searching for the
followers who worship the child for her own gain.
child as a deity, and who
are willing to attack anyone • Gisela, a wise old woman
who challenges their who believes she knows
beliefs. The players might the truth about the child,
be attacked themselves, but keeps it hidden.
or witness an attack on
another who casts doubt • Dieter, a charismatic
on the child. leader of the child's
followers, who will stop at
nothing to spread the word.
FOLK OF THE
• Gunther, a local
KINGDOM blacksmith who has stayed
behind in an abandoned
Here are some example town, and who knows what
NPCs that the players really happened to the
might encounter on the child's followers.
road in the first part
of the adventure. The • Ingrid, a tavern keeper
games master should who has seen the child's
feel free to drop these followers pass through,
characters in, to give the and who has heard
players a feel of what is rumours of their activities.
happening to the folk of the
Kingdom. It should become • Karl, a former soldier
increasingly clear that all who has joined the child's
walks of life are drawn to followers, but who is
the child. starting to have doubts
about their true motives.
• Lord Hemdall, a nobleman
who has set out to receive • Helga, a fanatical follower
a blessing from the divine who worships the child as
child. a deity, and who is willing
to attack anyone who

63
The Blessed Child
challenges her beliefs.
Here are three scenes
that occur in the first part
of the adventure. The first
two help to set the scene,
and the last is important
to the progression of the
adventure:
SCENE ONE:
HOPEFUL
FOLLOWERS
The player characters are
traveling through a rural
area, when they come
across a small group of
people who are following
the child. The group is
made up of a mix of ages
and professions and is
excited and enthusiastic
about the child's message
and his powers. The
player characters can
hear the group talking
about the child's miracles,
his prophecies, and his
teachings, and can see
them showing off their
tattoos, their amulets, or
their relics, which they
64
believe have been blessed
by the child. The player
characters can also hear
the group talking about
the hardships and the
problems that they have
left behind. The group
invite the player characters
to join them. The player
characters will have to
decide whether to join the
group, or to continue on
their own way alone.
SCENE TWO:
SCORNFUL
LOCALS
The player characters
are staying in a tavern,
when they overhear a
group of people talking
about the child. The group
is made up of a mix of
locals and travellers, and
is sceptical and cynical
about the child's message
and his powers. The
player characters can
hear the group talking
about the child's lies, his
manipulation, and his
hypocrisy, and can see
them laughing and mocking
the child's followers. The

player characters can also
hear the group talking
about the dangers and the
risks of following the child.
SCENE THREE:
THE LADY
The player characters are
traveling on a lonely road
through a forest, when
they encounter a lone
elven lady on the road.
She is being accosted by a
group of five of the child’s
followers, who call her an
unbeliever and a heretic
before pushing her to the
ground.
The lady is a beautiful
and radiant, dressed in
plain white and carrying a
basket of flowers. One of
the followers pulls a dirty
knife from their belt.
The player characters
have a choice here. They
can ignore the situation
and pass on, or they can
interject and try and save
the lady, who looks on the
newcomers beseechingly.
The followers of the child
The Blessed Child
are fanatics, half-starved
and feral, and they do not
take kindly to interruptions.
The player characters
can try to persuade or
intimidate them to leave,
but any failure will result
in attack. Luckily, these
followers are weak and
poorly armed, and should
two of the die the rest will
flee into the woods.
Assuming they save the
lady, she thanks them
profusely by name. She
then gifts each of the
player characters a flower,
a small and delicate bloom,
golden and bright. She
explains that this is a good
luck charm, a talisman,
and that it will shield the
player characters from evil
influence and reveal dark
magics. She begs them to
wear the flowers against
the heart, as she feels they
will need this protection
soon, as dark times are
ahead.
After gifting the player
characters the flowers, the
lady bid them farewell, and
carries on into the woods,
soon lost in the trees.
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66

She ignores any offers to
accompany her, and should
anyone do so, she soon
loses them in the dark of
the wood. All that remains
is a memory of flowers
and a feeling of peace and
inspiration. The player
characters are left with the
feeling that they have been
blessed by a higher power,
and that they are protected
on their journey.
The flowers are a magical
The Blessed Child
gift – they grant the player
characters protection from
the child’s influence as
long as they wear them,
lasting until the last petal
falls. When protected by
the flowers, the characters
will only experience the
dreams as previously
described. Without them,
the dreams are far
stronger, and characters
run the fisk of falling under
the influence of the child.
67
The Blessed Child
PART TWO:
DARK TIMES
In part two of the
adventure, the players
continue their journey
in search of the blessed
child. As they travel, they
encounter various towns
and villages that have
been affected by the child's
influence, and see the
danger and damage the
child represents.
Here are three scenes
that the player characters
encounter when following
the child in part two of the
adventure:
SCENE ONE:
THE FIRE
The player characters
come across a small
village that has been
devastated by a fire. The
villagers are mourning
the loss of their homes,
their possessions, and
their loved ones. The
player characters can
see the child and his
68
followers walking through
the village, offering
comfort and assistance
to the survivors. The
player characters can
hear stories of the child
performing miracles, such
as healing the sick and
the injured, and reviving
the dead. The player
characters can hear the
child's followers thanking
and praising him, and can
see some of the villagers
joining his cause. However,
all is not as it seems. Who
started the fire? No one
seems to want to say, but
one old lady say it was
the child’s followers. Also,
there are signs that people
died here, but no bodies to
be seen, just splashes of
crimson blood. Where did
the corpse go?
In the forest near to the
village, the corpses lay
slumped as if they have
just fallen, walking the
direct path that the child

took (the road take a
detour at this point). The
necromancer’s power
raised them as undead,
and they followed their
master but were too slow
– now he has passed they
have returned to death.
SCENE TWO:
DEATH ON THE
ROAD
The player characters
come across a group
of bandits who have
ambushed a caravan of
merchants. The bandits
are demanding a ransom,
and are threatening to
kill the merchants if their
demands are not met. The
player characters can see
the followers of the child
approaching the bandits,
negotiating with them, and
trying to peacefully resolve
the situation. However,
when the bandits disagree,
the followers turn on them
in a frenzy, declaring them
heretics. If left unchecked,
their numbers soon
slaughter the bandits, and
the merchants with them.
The Blessed Child
SCENE THREE:
THE RIOT
The player characters
come across a large town
that is in the midst of a
riot. The streets are in
chaos, with people fighting,
looting, and destroying
property. The player
characters can see the
followers of the child in the
centre of the riot. Some
are trying to calm the mob,
restore order and disperse
the mob to protect the
innocent. However, the
player characters can also
see that another faction of
the child’s followers are
the main cause of the riots.
The player characters will
have to decide whether to
help the city officials, or
slip away before the town
burns.
Here are some optional
scenes that could be used
to extend or build on the
feelings of tension and
horror that permeate part
two of the adventure.
A large town that has been
turned into a makeshift
hospital, as the child's
69
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70

followers offer healing
and assistance to the sick
and injured. The players
discover from the healers
in attendance that the
child’s so-called miracle
healings are fake – no one
has survived. Followers
of the child hearing this
are likely to confront the
healers, leading to a tense
stand-off or even another
riot.
The player characters
encounter a group of
radical reformers who
believe that the child is a
revolutionary leader, and
who are willing to use
The Blessed Child
violence to overthrow the
existing order. The player
characters might choose
to confront the reformers
and their followers, or even
decide to join them.
In a village the player
characters encounter a
group of rebels who are
fighting against the child's
followers, either because
they disagree with their
beliefs or because they
want to protect their own
interests. The players
might have to choose
which side to support, or
might try to broker a peace
between the two factions.
71
The Blessed Child
PART THREE:
PUPPETS
In part three of the
adventure, the players
begin to catch up with the
blessed child and start to
uncover the truth about
his nature. Here are some
possible clues that the
players might discover
on their journey that hint
at the true nature of the
blessed child:
• Strange and increasingly
inhuman behaviour by
the child’s followers,
including as a lack of
emotion, uncharacteristic
aggression, and sudden
changes in personality.
Reports of undead or other
supernatural activity in
the child's wake, such
as ghostly apparitions,
spectral possession, or the
reanimation of corpses
• Clues that point to
the involvement of a
necromancer, such as
arcane symbols scratched
into the walls of towns
72
where the child’s followers
have passed, or the
signs of bodies killed
in a sacrificial manner.
The flower talismans the
player characters hold also
reveal something of the
necromancer’s influence,
as a dark miasma that
floats over the towns and
villages, the followers and
rioters.
Finally, as the player
characters approach the
town where the blessed
child is rumoured to be,
they see a large crowd of
people gathered on the
outskirts, waiting to enter.
The players can hear a mix
of voices, some excited and
hopeful, others anxious and
fearful.
The player characters can
see a variety of people in
the crowd, from all walks
of life and all parts of the
Kingdom. Some are sick
and injured, hoping to

be healed by the child's
miracles. Others are poor
and desperate, hoping to
find salvation or prosperity.
Still others are wealthy
and powerful, hoping to
gain favour or influence.
The characters can also
see a number of vendors
and merchants, selling
food, drink, souvenirs, and
other goods. The players
can hear the vendors
calling out to the crowd,
trying to entice them with
their wares. The players
can see the greed in the
vendors' eyes.
As the players get closer
to the town, they can
see a number of guards
and officials trying to
control and regulate the
crowd. The players can
hear the guards’ shouting
commands and warnings,
trying to keep order and
prevent chaos. As they
approach the player
characters can see a
mixture of authority and
corruption in the guards'
eyes, a mixture of duty and
abuse.
The Blessed Child
When they enter the town,
they can see a large square
in the centre, surrounded
by buildings and streets.
The square is filled with
people, all crowded
around a small figure on
a makeshift stage. The
child is surrounded by a
halo of light, and his face
is angelic and serene. His
followers are chanting his
name and throwing flowers
and coins at his feet. The
players can feel a sense
of awe and reverence in
the air, as if the child is
a divine messenger or a
prophet.
The players will have to
decide how to approach
the child and his followers,
either by joining the crowd
or by trying to get closer to
the stage.
The players can also see
the child's followers, a
motley group of people
from all walks of life. Some
are sick and injured, others
are poor and desperate,
still others are wealthy
and powerful. The players
can see a mixture of hope
73
 The Blessed Child

74

and despair in their faces,
a mixture of faith and
desperation.
The child's guards, a group
of muscular and well-
armed men, are watching
the crowd with suspicion
and vigilance. The players
can sense that the guards
are not just there to
protect the child, but also
to control and intimidate
the followers.
THE CHILD
The child appears to be
a young boy, around the
age of ten or so. He has a
thin and frail frame, with
pale skin and dark circles
under his eyes. He has
long black hair, tangled
and matted, and his eyes
are bright. Despite his
sickly appearance, the
child exudes a sense of
power and authority. He
stands tall and straight,
with a calm and confident
demeanour. His voice is
soft and melodious, but
it seems to carry a great
weight and conviction. The
The Blessed Child
child is dressed in simple
and dirty clothes, white
tunic and trousers, with
a pair of sandals on his
feet. He wears a crown
of thorns on his head, a
symbol of his suffering and
sacrifice.
As the players get closer
to the child, the flower
talismans they carry
reveal something of the
true nature of the child.
They can see the wounds
and scars on his body,
the marks of torture and
death. They can see the
cold and empty gaze in his
eyes, the lack of emotion
or humanity. They can
see the aura of darkness
and decay that surrounds
him, the smell of death
and decay that emanates
from him. The players will
realize that the child is not
a blessing, but a curse,
a puppet raised from the
dead. A wispy tendril of
black smoke links the
child to a talisman worn
around the neck of a tall,
intimidating man at the
back of the stage – this
dark magic is revealed by
the blessed flowers that
75
 The Blessed Child

76

player characters hold.
Geltzen is a powerful and
ambitious necromancer,
who has devoted his life
to the study and practice
of dark magic. He is a tall
and slender man, with
pale skin and black hair,
which he keeps tied back
in a ponytail. He has sharp
and angular features, with
a long nose and a thin
moustache. His eyes are a
deep and seem to sparkle
with intelligence and
malice. He is dressed in a
long and flowing robe of
black and purple, adorned
with intricate patterns. He
wears a pair of gloves and
boots of soft and supple
leather, and a belt of silver
and onyx. He carries a staff
of ebony, which he uses
to channel and focus his
magic.
Geltzen is a skilled and
cunning magician, who
has mastered the art
of necromancy and the
manipulation of undead.
He can raise and control
the dead, animate and
empower them, and use
them as his servants
and soldiers. He can also
The Blessed Child
cast curses, hexes, and
other dark spells, which
can cause pain, suffering,
and death. A ruthless and
calculating strategist,
Geltzen will stop at nothing
to achieve his goals. He is
willing to use any means
necessary, including
deception, coercion,
intimidation, and violence.
He is also willing to make
sacrifices, including his
own followers and allies,
if it serves his interests.
Geltzen is driven by a thirst
for power and a desire
for domination, and will
do whatever it takes to
achieve it.
A DIVERSION!
To make it easier for the
player characters to reach
the stage, they could try
to sow panic amongst the
child's followers. They
could use deception, such
as by pretending to be
agents of the authorities,
or by spreading rumours of
a threat or a danger. They
could use intimidation,
such as by threatening or
77
 The Blessed Child

78

attacking the followers, or
by using their reputation
or status to scare them.
They could also use
persuasion, such as by
appealing to the followers'
emotions, or by using
logic or reason to change
their minds. The games
master is encouraged to
look favourably on any
scheme that tries to add a
diversion. A simple option
could be starting a fire,
but in the towns of the
Kingdom, that is a very
risky proposition indeed
– the burnt-out villages
the player characters
have already passed are a
testament to that!
ENDING THE
CHILD
However it is done, when
the player characters
reach the stage, they will
need to face off against
the necromancer, Geltzen,
who is standing behind
The Blessed Child
to the child, his undead
puppet. Geltzen would be
a formidable opponent,
however, at this time
Geltzen is vulnerable. The
magical talisman Geltzen
uses to control the child
takes up much of his
concentration, leaving him
very susceptible, so the
player characters will only
really have to deal with his
four bodyguards. If they
get to Geltzen and break
his concentration or can
destroy the talisman, the
child will be reveal as what
it really is – a corpse. At
this point, without Geltzen’s
influence, the child swells
and bursts with dark
negative energy, driving the
crowd into a mad frenzy.
Geltzen takes this moment
to escape into the crowd, if
he still lives.
79
 The Blessed Child

80
 The Blessed Child
AFTERMATH
The player characters will well as navigating toward
now need to get out of the simpler and safer
the town. The crowd are routes from the town
wild, like an unleashed Hostile factions: The
animal, and soon flames rioters are not united in
are rising from buildings their madness and may
and destruction is rampant. form factions with different
The crowd is however goals and ideologies –
mindless, driven by the some for the child, some
energies unleashed, (seeing what became
and unless the player of him), no against him.
characters wish it, they The adventurers must be
should be able to escape careful not to get caught
the area without major in the crossfire between
confrontation. The games these factions or become
master can add a few targets themselves.
encounters however if
they wish to extend or • Blocked exits: The King’s
complicate the escape. Guard may have blocked
off certain exits from the
• Crowd control: The town to trap people inside,
adventurers must navigate in an attempt to curb
through the chaotic streets the spread of the child’s
filled with panicked followers. This could be
citizens and frenzied roadblocks or lines of
fanatics. They must avoid armed men. Also, if the
getting caught up in the town is burning, fires
mob and find a way to could prevent an easy
safely escape the town. escape. The adventurers
This could involve trying must find a way to clear
to keep together and fend these obstacles or find an
off any unwanted attention alternate route out of the
that comes their way, as city.

81
The Blessed Child
Burning buildings: As the • City guard: The city
riots rage on, buildings guard themselves rather
may catch fire, creating than being overwhelmed
additional hazards for the by the riots, might even
adventurers to navigate be participating in the
through. They must avoid violence. The adventurers
getting trapped in burning may need to fend off
buildings or overcome the attacks from the guards or
flames to escape. find allies among them to
help them escape the city.
• Looters and bandits: In
the chaos of the riots, Regardless of how the
opportunistic looters player characters fair, once
and bandits may take the child is exposed his
advantage of the situation cult of followers’ withers
to prey on the vulnerable. and dies. What becomes
The adventurers must of Geltzen, should he
be on the lookout for have escaped, is up to the
these threats and defend games master…
themselves if necessary.

82
THE SUN KING
 A SAD TALE
The Sun King

We trudged through the "We need help to recover

dark and forbidding wood, it," he said, his voice low
our footsteps muffled by and urgent. "We have no
the thick layer of leaves one else to turn to."
and branches that littered We looked at each other,
what passed as a road in weighing our options.
these parts. The air was This forsaken part of
heavy with the scent of the Kingdom was full
decay and the ominous of danger, and we had
creaking of trees added to already encountered their
our unease. fair share of perilous
creatures. But something
Suddenly, a flash of in the elves' desperate plea
movement in the woods to stirred us.
our left, and two figures
emerged from the shadows "We'll help you," one of us
- a male and a female elf, said, his voice firm. "If you
their faces twisted with are paying."
fear and desperation.
The group tensed, hands The elves' faces lit up
moving instinctively to with gratitude, and they
their weapons. showed us a bag of golden
coins. I know that some of
"We are in great need," the us considered attacking
female elf said, her voice them and taking the coins,
trembling. "Our company to our shame. But we
was attacked by vile didn’t, and the elves led us
creatures, and we have deeper into the wood, their
lost something dear to us." steps quickening with a
newfound hope.
The male elf stepped
forward, his eyes glinting As they moved through the
with a fierce determination. dark and twisted trees,

84
we felt a growing sense
of unease. The air grew
thicker, and a cold breeze
began to blow. We heard
whispers on the wind and
saw shadows moving just
INTRODUCTION
The Sun King is an
adventure for the Warlock
roleplaying game set in
the forests of the Kingdom.
This adventure could be
placed intoi an existing
campaign by the games
master.
Three weeks ago, a village
thief called Balzic was
caught stealing from the
homes of his neighbours
and was expelled from his
clan village, Yarkleburg,
fleeing into the depths of
the perilous woods of the
around the village. That
night, fearing for his life,
Balzic crawled inside a
narrow cave opening in
the side of a small hill. A
narrow tunnel twisted and
turned deep underground.
beyond the edge of our
The Sun King
vision. Wolves. I hoped.
We pressed on, their
weapons at the ready, our
resolve unbroken. For now.
Eventually the passage
opened onto a ledge
over a large dark cavern
wide enough to sleep on.
Despite the unpleasant
smell that permeated the
air, Balzic was exhausted
and soon fell asleep. He
was not alone. Two trolls
also made the cave their
home, and returning from
their hunting at dawn they
set about eating the skinny
deer they had caught.
Balzic lay hidden on his
rocky ledge above their
cave listening to their
harsh talk. Amidst their
curses and vile words, the
trolls discussed where
they would go that night
to find food. Suddenly,
almost giddy with fear in
the darkness, Balzic was
85
The Sun King
overcome by a strange
notion. Despite the danger,
he suggested out loud
where the trolls should
next attack. Near blind
with rage at the presence
of an intruder, the trolls
searched the cave but
could not reach the ledge.
Still, in the depths of
their dark minds they
heard his words, and for
want of a better idea they
followed Balzic’s advice
and raided his old village,
catching three fat goats
in the attack. Slowly, with
time, the trolls grudgingly
learned to trust the ‘voice
from the above,’ and have
profited greatly from his
words. For his part, Balzic
has been using the trolls
as a diversion. When the
SCENES
The following scenes make lengthen the scenario if
up the adventure. The desired.
games master could also
add alternative scenes to
86
trolls raid a village for
food, Balzic raises the
alarm—too late for the
villagers to act, but leaving
enough time for him to rob
the homes of what little
they have. This scheme
has been working well.
However, last night, during
a heavy storm, as the trolls
walked back to their cave
they blundered into a group
of elves, who fought the
trolls. During the fight,
Balzic saw an opportunity
for gain and robbed the
elves. Amongst some small
trinkets he stole the Sun
Stone, an item vital to an
elvish wizard’s quest. Two
of the elves have remained
behind to find others who
will help them seek out the
valuable jewel.
87
The Sun King
 SCENE ONE: the pair and the company
The Sun King

MOONKEN AND they travelled with. They

fought the trolls off but
CURONIS discovered that in the
confusion they had been
The adventure opens as the
robbed. Many items of little
player characters travel
worth were stolen, but
through the woods on a
among them something of
lonely, rutted road (The
great value: the Sun Stone.
reason the characters are
Constructed in ancient
travelling here should be
times, the item is a stone
decided by the characters
which carries within it a
and games master). During
tiny glimmer of the light
the journey, two figures
of a distant star. They
step from the nearby
were taking the stone to
woods and approach the
the elven wizard Glomis
party. They are elves and
who was to use it in her
from their bearing and
research into the secrets
demeanor clearly of noble
of the Goletham empire.
birth. A male and female,
Unfortunately, the rest of
they introduce themselves
the company refused to
as Curonis and Moonken,
tarry and so the pair are
a brother and sister. Both
now alone.
are distressed; underneath
his haughty demeanour
They do not know where
Curonis is simmering with
the trolls came from and
anger. The two have been
are too conspicuous to
watching the characters
interact with the local
for some time from the
people, so they beg the
shadows of the trees.
characters’ help in locating
the stone. In return they
Moonken has seen the
can pay a small number
good in the party and
of golden coins, clearly
thinks they may be able
ancient in design Assuming
to aid her. She tells the
the characters agree,
characters that the night
Curonis and Moonken lead
before two trolls attacked
them to the location of the

88
troll attack. the Sun Stone was taken.

The Sun King

The tracks are light, as if
SCENE TWO: the person making them
was moving very carefully.
THE ATTACK
ON THE A navigation test indicates
COMPANY that the trolls were
travelling north. A spot test
Curonis leads the reveals that to the south of
characters to a stand of the clearing, some miles
trees containing a wide distant, a wisp of smoke
clearing which is almost curls into the air. This is
impossible to see from the the village of Yarkleburg.
outside. The weather last Attempts to track the
night and today is foul and passage of the trolls prove
water drips down from the fruitless; the awful weather
leaves and branches. There has seemingly washed
are no signs of the passage away even the tracks of
of the elves—they do not these large creatures.
mark even wet ground However, a final spot test
with their passing—but reveals that someone has
the wreckage left by the successfully hidden the
trolls is plain. A successful Troll’s tracks.
appraise test by one of
the party shows that there
were two trolls (neither SCENE THREE:
of the elves can confirm YARKLEBURG
this). A further spot test
by another of the party VILLAGE
reveals the presence of
another set of tracks, made Yarkleburg is a typical
by a humanoid, that lead Kingdom village of the
into the clearing and then wilder lands, a collection of
back out again. Moonken wooden and stone houses
confirms that these tracks surrounded by a ditch and
lead to the spot from which earth wall. The people here
survive by hunting through

89
 The Sun King

90
the winter and gathering
roots and berries during
the rest of the year. The soil
is too poor to support many
crops, but they do keep
goats for making cheese.
The trolls attacked
Yarkleburg last night,
climbing the walls,
breaking into the pens, and
grabbing four goats. Balzic,
hooded and keeping out of
the light, raised the alarm.
During the confusion he
broke into the Headman’s
house searching for
valuables. However, before
he could find anything
of real worth he was
disturbed by the Headman’s
daughter, Finnel, and forced
to retreat to the woods. He
was shadowing the trolls
back to the cave when they
stumbled on the elves.
The villagers are extremely
upset about the raid even
though no lives were
lost, and this has made
them even more hostile
to strangers than normal.
Any of the characters
who enter the village are
subject to hard stares and
a stony silence. Eventually,
if the characters hold their
The Sun King
ground, the Headman,
Curotal, appears. He
answers any questions
with non-commital
grunts. The more the
characters attempt to
get information from the
Headman, the angrier he
becomes. Eventually the
villagers effectively drive
the characters out of the
village because of their
unwillingness to cooperate.
SCENE FOUR:
FINNEL
When the characters leave
the village a successful
spot test indicates that
someone is following
them, trying to keep out
of sight. Only snatches
of a moving figure are
seen. It is Finnel, the
Headman’s daughter, who
is following the characters.
She wants the characters
to help her because the
‘thief’ she discovered in
her house stole a broach
her late mother gave to
her. Her father believes
she imagined the intruder
91
 SCENE FIVE:
The Sun King

and has lost the broach,

but she is adamant it was THE DARK
stolen. She is too shy and
scared to approach the
WOOD
characters directly, but
As the hunter leads the
assuming they don’t terrify
heroes along the hidden
her when the catch her,
paths of the woods, a spot
she asks the characters
test reveals that the trolls
to help her find it. If the
passed this way. The wood
characters take the child
lies roughly ten miles
back to the village, the
from the village. Dark and
near-frantic Headman
foreboding, the trees are
rushes out to hug her. If
old and the undergrowth
the characters have been
thick. A wide passage has
kind to her, the Headman
been beaten through the
helps them, grudgingly
brush and the signs of
telling them that he has
trolls are much clearer
heard of trolls attacking
here. In the centre of the
villages to the north of
wood is a small, low hill.
this area for many weeks.
The trolls dwell in a cave
However, as last night was
in the side of the hill.
the first time the trolls
Scattered on either side
have come to this area, the
of the path as it winds
village was unprepared. He
into the wood are the
says that last night one of
bones of large animals the
his hunters followed the
trolls have dropped. Many
trolls to a small wood to
wolves dwell in the woods
the northeast of the village
and they can be seen
but was afraid to enter. On
slinking through the trees.
a successful persuasion
Although they only attack
test, he directs the hunter
if provoked, they add to the
to lead the characters to
tension in the darkness of
the wood.
the wood.

92
93
The Sun King
 SCENE SIX: THE at bay. Should anyone fall
The Sun King

in they are in for a very

SUN KING
unpleasant time. Further
down the passage the
The characters find that
tunnel is littered with the
the path leads to a wide
skulls of animals, and
cave opening with many
passing over this area
bones scattered around the
without making a noise
mouth. Inside (providing it
requires a stealth test.
is daylight), the two trolls
rest. Balzic also rests on
3. Cavern: Wide and with
his customary ledge above
the roof on average 30 feet
the trolls’ den. A map of
high, the trolls have made
the cave, with descriptions
this their home. Scattered
of each of the locations
around the cavern are the
depicted, follows.
remains of the trolls’ food,
in various states of decay.
1. Cave Mouth: Bones litter
During the day the one of
the entrance to the cave.
the trolls sleep noisily in
The tunnel itself is ten feet
the cavern whilst the other
wide and 15 feet high, a
toys with their ‘treasures’
squeeze for the trolls. A
(see below).
breeze coming from the
cave carries with it the
4. Waste Pit: The trolls tend
stench of the trolls and
to fling most of the bones
their decaying food.
of their food into here. A
group of large rats have
2. Water Pit: The trolls
also made the decaying
have dug out a pit here and
waste their home.
filled it with water to stop
animals from wandering
5. Treasure Hole: Here,
into the cave. The pit itself
behind a pile of rubble, the
is 15 feet wide, but since
trolls keep their ‘hoard.’
the trolls have taken to
Mostly rubbish, amongst
filling the pit themselves,
the trash are ten silver and
the stench itself is enough
two gold coins and a short
to keep most living things
sword of high quality, made

94
for a ancient chieftain, here, disguising much of

The Sun King

and is very beautiful. The the trolls’ stench to those
sword, however, is very on the ledge.
distinctive and clearly of
Hillman origin; it could 8. Passage: A narrow
cause problems should passage winds away
the characters encounter into the hill, eventually
locals, who would likely opening near the hilltop.
want to know why (The entrance requires
outsiders have one of their an Observe TN 15 test to
masterworks. During the spot from the outside,
day one of the trolls will be should the characters
found here, fingering the search for it). Balzic can
dross. be found here during the
day. The passage is over
6. Larder: Here the trolls 200 feet long and splits
store their food. Currently many times, forming a
the larder holds three dead maze. On average three to
goats and the remains four feet wide and five feet
of a hunter the trolls high, Balzic can quickly
came across (he was the hide himself here, though
original owner of the sword there is only one exit. If the
in location 5, a family characters try to penetrate
heirloom). the maze, the games
master should describe
7. Ledge: This stone ledge a sufficiently confusing
is difficult to spot (spot test selection of passages. In
required in poor light). It is the small cave next to the
25 feet above the cavern ledge Balzic keeps his loot,
floor, just out of the trolls’ a collection of jewellery
reach. Climbing up to the and money summing up
ledge is difficult (TN 15, to about five gold pieces,
modified by poor light if and Finnel’s broach. In
applicable). Balzic sleeps the small cave around
and addresses the trolls the corner from the ledge
from this ledge. A breeze Balzic spends his time
enters the cavern from

95
The Sun King
gazing into the Sun Stone.
Killing the trolls in the cave
during the day is difficult.
One is awake at all times
and silently approaching
the cavern, past the water
pit and animal skulls, is
not easy. Furthermore,
the trolls fight with some
intelligence, trying (for
example) to restrict the
number of characters that
can get into the cave. By
night the cave is empty
of both trolls and Balzic,
and could be used as an
ambush site. Dealing with
Balzic is no easy task. If
the characters engage the
trolls in combat his obvious
course of action would be
to flee, but since he found
the Sun Stone he has not
been thinking clearly. He
considers himself the lord
of this place and is loath to
leave it. Instead, he is likely
to hide in his passages and
wait for the characters to
leave. Should they climb up
to the ledge he tries hiding
in the maze of passages. If
cornered, he defends the
Sun Stone to the death.
96
THE SUN
STONE
This jewel of light holds
within it a glimmer of
ancient starlight. The
ancient elven smiths made
it as their might and craft
were waxing. However,
over the long years
corruption has affected
the stone. To the pure of
heart, the light of the stone
has a clear golden hue, but
greedy men can become
unwittingly ensnared by
the stone. Those who are
enchanted are trapped,
unable to look away, and
will not suffer anyone else
to gaze upon the stone.
As this malady grows
the bearer will even fight
friends to keep hold of
the Jewel. In such cases
the light of the stone is a
reflection of the heart of
the holder—in Moonken’s
hand the light in pure, in
Balzic’s the light is tainted
red by his bitterness.
97
The Sun King
 CHARACTERS
The Sun King
Moonken is beautiful, tall,
and graceful, with long
dark hair and shining blue
eyes, a truly an imposing
Elf. Her brother Curonis
is a tall, dark haired elf.
Impetuous and haughty,
Curonis suffers from the
vanity that has afflicted
many of his people. He
is quick to anger and the
only person who can cool
his passion and keep
him in check is his sister
Moonken.
Typical of his people,
Curotal is mistrustful
of strangers and rather
xenophobic. The Troll
attack was a bitter blow,
but he is determined
that the villagers will
deal with it in their own
way—by ignoring it and
carrying on as normal.
The only thing he loves
more than his village
is his daughter Finnel,
especially since his wife,
Lavel, died five years ago.
Finnel is, short and skinny
and very inquisitive. She
felt no apprehension in
98
challenging Balzic in the
Headman’s house, despite
the danger. She follows the
characters after hearing
them talk of the Trolls to
try to get them to retrieve
her broach—left to her by
her dead mother it is her
most prized possession
and she would do anything
to get it back. The trolls in
the cave are marginally
more intelligent than their
brethren, and can speak.
They have been occupying
the cave for several years,
mainly eating wild things
from the woods. Under the
influence of Balzic the fat
goats of the surrounding
villages have proved a
welcome change in diet.
Normally, they would
not dare to attack the
camps of men, but Balzic
reconnoitres the villages
for them and selects
villages that are relatively
undefended.
Balzic is a robust man
with a lined face and
full beard. He is a hard
and uncompromising
man always looking to
get ahead, who thinks of
no others bar himself.
Recently, however, the
Sun Stone has affected
him strongly. The stone
has twisted his grasping
nature, twisting his
personality so that he now
fancies himself the ‘Sun
AFTERMATH
Retrieving the Sun
Stone and returning it
to Moonken wins her
gratitude and blessing, and
a bag full of ancient coins.
Returning Finnel’s broach
King’, claims the stone
The Sun King
as his own possession,
and spends most of his
waking hours gazing into
its light. He dreams of
become a lord over men
and imagines the caves
in which he resides as a
mighty fortress.
to her earns her heartfelt
thanks, and freeing the
village of the trolls allows
everyone to sleep easier at
night.
99
Game Statistics

THE SKRATBURG ROT

Name/Type Notes Career Act/rnd
Peasants - Peasant 1
‘Rat men’ Children Urchin 1
King’s Guard - Soldier 1
Henrich Rat catcher 1
Hilda Healer 1
Wilheim 1d6 scrolls Wizard 1

THE BLESSED CHILD

Name/Type Notes Career Act/rnd
Peasants - Peasant 1
Followers - All manner 1
King’s guard - Soldier 1
The child Undead Corpse 1
Geltzen 1d6 scrolls Necromance 1

THE SUN STONE

Name/Type Notes Career Act/rnd
Trolls Regenerate Troll 2
Balzic Maddened Thief 1

100
 Game Statistics
Weap/Skill/Dam Arm. Cr. Skill Ad. Skills Stam.
Club/6/1d6-1 None 9 4 10
None None 7 4 8
Sword/8/2d6 Mail 1d6 8 6 16
Ratpole/10/1d6+2 Leathers 1d3 12 10 18
None None 14 9 15
Staff/12/1d6 Robes 1d3 13 10 19

Weap/Skill/Dam Arm. Cr. Skill Ad. Skills Stam.

Club/6/1d6-1 None 9 4 10
Any/6/any None 10 7 14
Sword/8/2d6 Mail 1d6 8 6 16
Claws/8/1d6+3 None 7 4 27
Staff/13/1d6 Robes 1d3 14 9 22

Weap/Skill/Dam Arm. Cr. Skill Ad. Skills Stam.

Claw, fang/8/1d6+4 Hide 1d6 - 6 22
Dagger/9/1d6+2 None 12 8 19

101