[DM rel20] Darkmoon Vale

Game Master djpika

A blunt, sawdust-choked stop on a winding trade route, a festering haven of injustice and cruelty, Falcon’s Hollow rests perilously close to the infamous Darkmoon Wood. The long shadow of Droskar’s Crag casts a shroud of gloom on the desperate souls who call this place home. Many come here to make their fortunes cutting Sidoren Ash lumber in the lush wood, while others journey to this remote fringe to start over, piecing together their shattered lives on the edge of an untouched wilderness far form the things of man. Persecuted zealots and outcasts flock to Falcon’s Hollow to practice their strange and often deviant rites unfettered by the mores of civilization. Finally, Falcon’s Hollow lures many explorers with the promise of great adventure nearby. The town, its people, and everything in it belong to the corrupt Lumber Consortium, controlled by the de facto leader of the town, the loathsome Thuldrin Kreed. His petty decrees and the consortium’s overpriced goods keep the people of the town prisoner as surely as if Kreed and his goons used manacles and chains. Home to fewer than 1,500 humans and a smattering of other races, most of the townsfolk care only for the paltry coins paid for their backbreaking work and what simple comforts they can buy. A few, however, understand that what’s bad for one is bad for all, and struggle endlessly with the Lumber Consortium to improve the town’s overall quality of life.

Any number of events might draw the PCs to the small trade town of Falcon’s Hollow. Merchant caravans regularly travel here from any number of points abroad, trading for the rare darkwood that grows so
abundantly in Darkmoon Vale, and potentially bringing exotic individuals to town as guards or paying travelers. Alternatively, characters might be long-time residents of Falcon’s Hollow, young or adventurous souls seeking excitement and opportunity beyond the lumber mills and town’s petty intrigues. Local residents might already know one another as friends or relations, or they might encounter one another as they’re individually drawn to seek a cure for the town’s affliction (likely either in line at Roots and Remedies or at Laurel’s suggestion of cooperation).

If the PCs need encouragement to become involved in the plot of the adventure, a friend, relative, or possibly one of the PCs themselves might come down with blackscour taint. Alternatively, both herbalist Laurel and Sheriff Baleson could put out calls for assistance, drawing on PCs’ specific talents, which might lead the PCs to learn
of Laurel’s more unusual cure.

MACROS
[dice=Stevesie Initiative]1d20+4[/dice]
[dice=Ulfgar Initiative]1d20+5[/dice]
[dice=Kalani Initiative]1d20-1[/dice]
[dice=Churdon Initiative]1d20+4[/dice]
[dice=Bort Initiative]1d20+3[/dice]

traits:

Traits

d20pfsrd traits

Select one Trait from the general Trait list and one Trait from below:

Axe Swinger
It seems like you were born with an axe in your hand. Growing up around lumberjacks has made these tools available to you throughout your childhood and you’ve become especially proficient with them. You gain a +1 trait bonus on attack rolls with handaxes , waraxes, and throwing axes. If you are a Dwarf, this bonus also applies to dwarven waraxes.

Child Prodigy
You’re something of a wonder, maturing faster than members of your race normally do. You are the minimum age for your race and class, instead of rolling randomly. In addition, pick any one skill. You gain a +1 trait bonus to that skill and that skill is always a class skill for you.

Fey Blessed
The Fey have a strong presence in the Darkmoon Woods. You or one of your parents had a rare friendly encounter with one of these inhabitants. Choose one of the following boons:

Blessing of Healing: Whenever you heal naturally, you heal one additional hit point (up to your maximum.) Additionally, you gain a +1 trait bonus to saves against plant-based poisons.

Blessing of Luck: Once per day, when you roll a natural 1 on any die, you may choose to reroll that die. You must take the result of the second roll.

Blessing of Magic: Choose one spell you’re capable of casting at first level. Your caster level for this spell is increased by one.

Favored Child
You grew up in one of the few wealthy families of Falcon’s Hollow. Your beginning wealth is the maximum for your class instead of average.

Forgeborn
You grew up to the sounds of steel beating steel, the child of a smith and devoted follower of Torag. You gain a +1 trait bonus on either Craft (Armor), Craft(Blacksmith), or Craft (Weapons) skill checks and the chosen skill is always a class skill for you. Additionally, you gain a +2 bonus on all charisma-based skill checks when dealing with Dwarves of the Five Kings Mountain region.

Lost Lore
You’ve managed to get your hands on a genuine Dungeon Guide for on of the following locations:

Droskar’s Craig Caves: Droskar's Crag is a dormant volcano located in northern Andoran, in the region known as Darkmoon Vale. Part of the Five Kings Mountains (although not claimed by that dwarven nation, the mountain consists of two primary peaks, known as the Hammer and the Anvil, the taller of which rises to an altitude of 28,822 feet. The volcano last erupted in 3980 AR in a massive explosion known as the Rending, which transformed the entire region. This Dungeon Guide serves as an exploration of a large cave system in the base of the volcano, rumored to be inhabited by a red dragon, possibly even a child of Daralathyxl, the Great Wyrm.

Droskar’s Forge: Sleeping in the shadow of Droskar's Crag on the edge of Darkmoon Vale lies the now ruined monastery once known as Droskar's Crucible. At its prime, the monastery was home to dwarven clerics of the malevolent god Droskar, who urged them to ever toil in making weapons on their great forges. This Dungeon Guide includes the original architecture of the monastery as well as a brief exploration of the mines of its underbelly.

Silverglint Mines: Once a promising silver mine, the diggers of this abandoned complex uncovered a deeply sealed evil decades ago, unleashing it on their camps. The entire company disappeared without a trace and no one has sought to rebuild the efforts at mining since. This Dungeon Guide, written only two years ago by a Pathfinder agent determined to discover its secrets, details the Pathfinder’s findings. The Guide was discovered near the smoking ruins of Elara’s Halfway House, the local orphanage, which was burned to the ground with its occupants still inside.

Lumberborn
You grew up in a lumber family. You gain a +1 trait bonus on Profession(lumberjack) skill checks and Profession(lumberjack) is always a class skill for you. Additionally, you gain a +2 bonus on all charisma-based skill checks when dealing with members of the Lumber Consortium of Falcon’s Hollow.

Moonblooded
One of your ancestors was bitten by a were-creature but cured before the lycanthropy could take its hold. Something of the curse still lingers in your family, however, affecting its members (including you) in one of the following ways:

Bloodboil: You gain the ability to rage, like the barbarian ability of the same name, for one round once per day.

Resistance: You gain a +2 trait bonus on saves vs. supernatural diseases such as lycanthropy and mummy rot.

Silversheen: You gain DR 1/Silver or Magic.

Orphanage Survivor
When the orphanage outside of town burned to the ground two years ago, you were (one of) the only survivor(s). You were fortunate enough to be taken in by a local family after the fire, but are still plagued by nightmares of what happened that night. You have learned to adapt to having less rest, and need two fewer hours each night of rest or meditation to gain the benefits of a full night’s rest.