A treasure chest wilderness adventure for 1st-level characters.
A barroom brawl at a country inn causes the destruction of a priceless relic and the heroes are responsible. Now they must chase down a host of ancient artifacts, lost in a haunted wood, to repay their debt. While the heroes search for the items to clear their name, another group of scoundrels plots their downfall from the depths of the mysterious forest. Only one group will emerge victorious.
Written by Greg A. Vaughan, author of Pathfinder #6: "Spires of Xin-Shalast," numerous Dungeon adventures, and co-author of Wizards of the Coast's Drow of the Underdark and Anauroch: The Empire of Shade.
GameMastery Module TC1: Into the Haunted Forest is also included in the GameMastery Treasure Chest.
This GameMastery Module is a 16-page, high-quality, full-color, OGL-compatible adventure for use with the world's most popular fantasy RPG. All GameMastery Modules include four pre-made characters so players can jump right into the action, and full-color maps to enhance play.
Note: This product is not included in GameMastery Modules subscriptions, but subscribers who purchase this module will receive a free PDF when the module ships.
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Into the Haunted Forest is a sixteen page adventure that was originally designed to be bundled into Paizo's "Treasure Chest" product along with a deck of item cards (Elements of Power), a flip mat (Woodlands), and a map pack (Inns). All of these products (which were also sold separately) are used heavily in the module. My conclusion is that the need to incorporate all of these elements into a short adventure is part of the reason why it's just not a very good module.
I ran this for a group of two level 1 PCs and two PCs that were a little higher. The plot barely holds together and relies heavily on events that are either contingent and simply may not trigger for every group or on some heavy-handed GMing to force recalcitrant groups to take part. The background and some story elements come across as more cheesy than I think they're intended, and there's a poor use of Golarion and the tone of the setting. Last, as an adventure designed for four level 1 characters, there are a lot of encounters that could be quite deadly and they occur in a short duration with a "race against time" element that means taking rests is not optimal--the cumulative effect could easily be a sad TPK.
Paizo was putting out some *really* good modules during this time period, and I've liked some of the author's other work, but Into the Haunted Forest can be safely skipped. It doesn't add to setting lore in a significant way and there are a lot better adventures for level 1 characters out there.
SPOILERS!:
The backstory involves a druid named Willowroot recovering the magical regalia of Narven, the last forest king of Arthfell (in Andoran). In the spirit of respect, Willowroot then scattered the five parts of the regalia in different parts of the forest so that each would be in a context that best matches its elemental affinity. But soon after doing this, the druid was murdered by a tribe of goblins, one of whom has now come back to the forest (with new companions) hoping to find the Panoply of Narven and become powerful.
The adventure starts with the PCs on a road somewhere in the Arthfell--no rhyme, reason, or possible adventure hooks are given as to why they're there or where they're going. I think the way adventuring parties form is one of the most interesting parts of a campaign (the group's "origin story" as it were), and that adventures for level 1 PCs should at least offer the GM some ideas. Anyway, the PCs come across a murdered hobgoblin on the road being torn apart by a pack of wild dogs. After defeating the dogs, the PCs can examine the scene. The key thing here, and the entire rest of the adventure depends on it, is that someone in the group has to make a skill check to spot a dagger in a nearby bush. The dagger is pretty cool in appearance and has a name, Brightflame, but if no PC sees and takes the dagger, then the GM really has their work cut out in figuring out how to continue the plot.
The PCs next reach a place to rest just before sunset. The Travelers Stop Inn is nicely described in the module and served well by the Inns map pack. Shortly after the adventurers settle in at a table for some drinks or a meal, they're accosted by another (evil!) adventuring group called the Company of the Black Banner. The Black Banners were responsible for killing that hobgoblin in the woods earlier, and although they were scared off, they recognize Brightflame on one of the PCs and claim it as their rightful possession. Inevitably, a big tavern brawl starts in which everyone is supposed to use nonlethal attacks--because if they draw weapons or cast spells, the sheriff will use lethal force in apprehending malefactors. The sheriff is a level 4 fighter, and one crit from his longsword could insta-kill any low Constitution spellcaster types in the party. During the brawl, a lantern gets knocked over and sets aflame a scroll being read by a travelling scholar--this detail becomes important shortly.
As an aside, although I'll be complaining about plenty of things in Into the Haunted Forest, I should say the interior artwork is really good--the sheriff, the rival adventuring party, the magical items, and more receive high-quality artwork.
As I mentioned above, finding and having the dagger is key--without it, there's no brawl. And if there's no brawl, then the sheriff can't seize Brightflame and arrest both the PCs and the Black Banners and tell them they're confined to the inn overnight while he figures out what to do next. There are no guards or locks keeping the PCs from fleeing in the night, so although the module says the sheriff will put up wanted posters throughout his "shire," I imagine a lot of groups might happily go on the lam and seek adventure elsewhere. I think the module assumes Brightflame is the lure to keep PCs involved, but many groups might not have the right makeup to tell it's magical to begin with.
Anyway, sometime in the night, the dagger is stolen from right under the sheriff's pillow! The next day, he assembles the PCs, the Black Banners, and five other NPC suspects in the common room of the inn to hear the testimony of four different NPC witnesses. This is way too many named NPCs to introduce in a short period of time (fourteen if we include the sheriff, the Black Banners, the suspects, and witnesses). The idea is that the PCs will undertake an investigation to clear themselves of the theft. Clues on the windowsill to the sheriff's room will, hopefully, lead them to the barn, where they're attacked by an owl. The owl turns out to be the familiar of a traveling gnome sorcerer who is revealed to be the real thief, but he confesses and returns the dagger. The concept of PCs investigating to clear up a mystery can be a really good one for low-level adventures, but it's poorly handled here because there's way too many NPCs for players to wrap their heads around in a short period of time and success in figuring out the culprit all comes down to finding one clue.
The next phase of the adventure involves some forced plotting. The sheriff introduces the PCs to Professor Krane, the scholar whose work was accidentally destroyed in the previous night's brawl. The work was extremely valuable, so to avoid debtor's prison the PCs have to agree to a deal: undertake a search for what Krane explains are five magical artifacts scattered about the forest. If they do this, the sheriff offers to throw in Brightflame as well. However, he's also offered the same deal to the Black Banners, and whoever gets back first gets the dagger (and if both groups appear with some of the artifacts, the sheriff keeps the dagger!). An adventure hook is an adventure hook and I'd guess that most groups would grumble but swallow it to keep things moving, but, in-character, they could be rightly incensed by all of this--after all, the PCs are the ones who were assaulted by the Black Banners and there's nothing they could have done to stop Professor Krane's work from being destroyed. If they were just to "accept" the deal and leave the forest to seek adventure elsewhere, I wouldn't blame them.
The Black Banners have an hour's head start on the PCs, so the latter will need to hurry if they want to catch up. The first thing they'll need to do is follow directions from Professor Krane to a druidic altar in a grove in the woods. There, if they can cleverly avoid an assassin vine (another hefty threat to Level 1 PCs!) they'll be able to read a series of riddles, each of which contains a clue to the location of the five parts of the Panoply of Narven. (regarding the backstory, I have no idea why Willowroot did things this way) The riddles aren't too hard, and, indeed, the PCs can find one of the five items sitting atop the monoliths they're presently reading. The Black Banners missed it, and have already moved on.
Finding a second artefact requires battling a black bear in its cave, the third requires making a deal with a nixie, and the fourth is reached by climbing a tree and defeating a giant bombardier beetle. I don't think these encounters are necessarily bad on their own, but the cumulative effect on level 1 PCs is going to mount pretty quickly given the urgency of their mission. Each of these encounters uses the Woodlands flip-mat, though the GM is instructed to fold it so only a 1/4 of a side is visible at a time--a weird idea that doesn't work so well in practice because it's hard to keep it flat.
The search for the fifth artefact leads to the big climax, and I have to admit it is pretty cool. The item is hidden at a (now long-abandoned) inn built at the center of the forest and guarded by a new plant monster called a Wooden Protector. Once the battle begins, the Black Banners (who had been hiding nearby following the classic gambit of letting someone else do the work and then robbing them afterwards) joins in the fight, but one of their members (the goblin from the backstory) wants everything for himself and attacks both the PCs and his former allies! So there's a crazy four-way fight between the PCs, the Black Banners, the goblin, and the Wooden Protector. It's a battle-royale, and only one side can win!
Assuming the PCs return to the Travelers Stop Inn afterwards, they'll be cleared of their crimes and debts. They'll definitely have earned a lot of XP--at least those that survived--and be in good shape for whatever adventure comes next.
I think some of the problems with Into the Haunted Forest would be ameliorated if it were designed for characters who were level 2 or 3. The problems with the plotting still remain, as there's not a lot of incentive for the PCs to go on the adventure since the sheriff comes across as a jerk and the lure of a (potentially unknown) dagger may not be enough. The backstory is bland and not wholly sensical. Simply put, this one is for completists only.
This adventure isn't some huge expansion dungeon or wilderness adventure. It's more of a side-trek between adventures. I strung this along with D series and Dungeon articles, and this works well, so I have enough random encounters to tie-in to other adventures, allowing my players to pick and choose where they quest in a non-linear fashion. The thing about the evil adventuring party is that they can compete and spoil other adventures to come, unless they party stops them in this adventure IMC.
The thing I really love was the investigation about who stole the dagger. That was amazing and REALLY great ROLE PLAYING fun for this situation. Right now IMC, we are before this part; I have a gnome PC in party that is desperately trying to steal it from one of the other PCs, which if things work out later, that PC gnome might be one of the suspects...
Anyhow, as a side-trek type of adventure, this one is really nice. I took the NPCs and use them with other adventures, and use other NPCs in this adventure. It works out very well.
NOTE - The comment about see MM for stats is due to licensing of WotC/Hasbro content. With future Pathfinder Core Book and other books, they no longer have this restriction.
I would have rated this very good product a 4.5 stars as it is perfect for me to insert as a side trek adventure for my playgroup in RotRL. The adventure was modified for a 2nd level party as it was easy to expand the basic encounters. I ran this module in the north western section of the Whisperwood south of the Lost Coast Road.
The layout is excellent and it is really designed for beginner DMs to start off their first campaign. It can equally be used as side trek or by an experienced DM to begin a new campaign. This module is different to a most of the Pathfinder modules as it instructs the DM what maps and item cards from Paizo to use to enhance the adventure.
A major issue is the lack of encounter tables that could be used while travelling between sites. This is easily fixed by using encounter tables that can be found from a number of different publishers' books. A minor issue is the setting the adventure in Golarion's Arthfell forest. I would have kept it as a generic forest but it is easy to put it into any forest in any campaign a DM wishes. It can be linked to other modules as it is not far from Darkmoon Vale.
I highly recommend to get this product in Paizo's Treasure Chest product if you are a beginning DM.
This adventure is a great one for playing with younger gamers. My son enjoyed the riddles, the 'treasure hunt' mission, and the artifacts. I probably should have got the whole treasure chest not just the adventure but he loved it nonetheless.
(Ugh, first post was eaten...)
I liked the idea behind the adventure, recovering the lost artifacts of a druid guardian. But overall, I agree with the railroad comments and I didn't really care for most of the encounters and the items were weak. I did like the showdown at the inn as well as the Wooden Protector but that was about it.
If i order this do I get the pdf since i have a subscription to the modules/ i thought i read something like that and I haven't been able to find it and how do I get it if i do?
The last line of the description of the product answers you. You will get a free PDF, since you have a subscription, and you'll have access to it the same way as the normal one. That means, as soon as your hard copy (or Treasure Chest, if you ordered it that way) ships and you're charged, you'll find it in the download page in your account.
From what I understand, if you buy TC1 alone, you get PDF when it ships (available soon). If you order the Treasure Chest (and get TC1 as part of it), then you'll get the PDF once the Chest ships (delayed to Jan 08).
Something about the easiest way for them to program the access to a free PDF is to link it to the hard copy charge/shipping.
I might be mistaken though. Vic or someone else, can correct me :)
Either way, glad to know that the pdf will be included due to the subscriber tag.
It's funny before I start getting the pdfs for the various Paizo products I wasn't a big fan of pdf game books, now I really like them. They are nice to have as reference, without having to thumb through a book.
From what I understand, if you buy TC1 alone, you get PDF when it ships (available soon). If you order the Treasure Chest (and get TC1 as part of it), then you'll get the PDF once the Chest ships (delayed to Jan 08).
Djoc is correct again. Though, to be clear, this only applies to GameMastery Modules subscribers. Non-subscribers do not get a free PDF.
The hard copy was changed from "pre-order" to "pending" sometime last week (at least it did in my order where I pre-ordered it, and I suppose my order is now in line for shipping), at the same time as it's status changed in the store.
This item is not included in the subscription though. You have to order it separatly.
The PDF is available to Modules subscribers that purchase TC1, the same way as for other products, that means as soon as you get charged for the hard copy and the order ships.
See the description of the product, especialy the line at the end of that description that says "Note: [...]", for more information.
Pathfinder Battles Case Subscriber; Pathfinder Maps, Pathfinder Accessories Subscriber; Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Charter Superscriber; Starfinder Charter Superscriber
I loved how you made suggestions on what item cards to use... You should do that in all you adventures!! Also suggestions on your other Gamemastery Accessories that could be used would work well to (Like maps)
This module has a problem typical with inexperienced module writers, too engrossed in their own story they steadily flow into the heavy hand of railroading. I was real disappointed after picking up this adventure and will probably avoid this writer in future mods.
The mystery is nice, but needs a good final confrontation with the assailant. Something more than an hp owel. Even for a 1st level party its pretty anti climatic and not even worth setting up the battlemap, and if its not worth setting upt he battlemap its not that important.
Then there's the hunt through the forest for the powerful magic items. (which needs to be clarified what the consequences are a little more clearly). The beginning starts off with the doctor telling the pcs to visit the druid and negotate the borrowing of the items, then for some reason that is never mentioned again as pcs are ushered from one place to the other to fight random animals and good guardians. It's implied that Knu is the one that got away but never really told, as a matter of fact without the druid none of the backstory the writer spent his time on makes sense.
A real disappointment considering how good some of the other modules are.
For any DM running this my recommendations are to do a few things
1. Make that wizard beefy enough to resist and give the pcs a fun challenge
2. add in the druid encounter before the hunting through the forest. perhaps its the spirit of the druid whom still haunts the woods and won't rest which makes the doctors statement make abit more statement. I ended up having the spirit flying aimlessly through the forest, a victim of a turn by the other party. The druid helps them by providing them a more detail map, turning it into a location based adventure. The one party is going in one order and the pcs can go in any. Relieving the feeling of being railroaded. The druid also gives the whole rundown of the story. The party gets his blessing wwith a diplomacy check granting them all woodland stride while in the forest. The guardians do not attack the PCs and are helpful in recovering the items. All of the guardians except the last, who was left uncontrolable after the big spell that killed everyone. That fey is only driven to protect the last piece, regardless of who wants it. He recommends visiting that place last, as they may need the powers of the others to help them.
3. Do what the writer didn't do and make a chart of how the items progress. Because they are weak items, I had the druid grant the pcs the items at their reward, asking our druid to take good care of them for him.
I hate being so critical but i hate having to do so much work with an adventure.
Without the good guardians to fight, new bad guys have to be created, so i added an evil fey faction that the goblin to challenge the party at all of the places visited by the bad party.
We ran this as an introductory adventure, and it worked well from start to finish. The highlight was the brawl in the beginning and one big battle at the old inn at the end.
Spoiler:
The final confrontation was not just between the PCs and the Wood Spirit, but while they were fighting the WS, I had the Black Banners move in and attack.
Not much change there. Also, since the PCs dallied, I had the Banners kill the nixie, rescue Pudge and take her stuff.
DonDM wrote:
This module has a problem typical with inexperienced module writers
That's funny, since Greg "Prince of Demons, Skeletons of Scarwall" Vaughn who wrote this.
This module has a problem typical with inexperienced module writers,
Ha! OK, that's funny.
Never said the module writer was inexperienced, but the module is written like many by inexperienced writers. Too much railroading, no broader advice for the DM.
If your group just wants to get together and go through an adventure it doesn't matter what you run. You can run the three bears and they'd like it. But if you got a group in a campaign that doesn't like to move along from one random point to the other this really was below par.
Never said the module writer was inexperienced, but the module is written like many by inexperienced writers. Too much railroading, no broader advice for the DM.
If your group just wants to get together and go through an adventure it doesn't matter what you run. You can run the three bears and they'd like it. But if you got a group in a campaign that doesn't like to move along from one random point to the other this really was below par.
It's a 16-page adventure, with 4 pages taken up for pregenerated characters, a new monster, stats for the enemy group, and the credits page. That's 13 pages of actual adventure... not very much to flesh out any type of adventure other than a Dungeon Crawl. For the length, I think that Greg did a great job.
Too much railroading, no broader advice for the DM.
also remember, this was written to be used with the other items in the treasure chest, including the map - limiting the atmosphere of the final battle, tips had to be included on how/when to set the treasure chest stuff up (for those who don't use minis normally) further cutting into the page count.
We ran this as an introductory adventure, and it worked well from start to finish. The highlight was the brawl in the beginning and one big battle at the old inn at the end.
Ran it with my group as [a then] PF Alpha 3 playtest - and also found it easy and fun to run. My group also loved the bar-room brawl and the last stand at the inn... played up the atmosphere throughout [tis the Haunted Forest after all] and my players really ran with it.
Greg really packed in all the elements you'd want from a much larger adventure [plot, new monsters, setting, decent encounters, new magic items] into far less pages... so kudos to him
Either way, glad to know that the pdf will be included due to the subscriber tag.
It's funny before I start getting the pdfs for the various Paizo products I wasn't a big fan of pdf game books, now I really like them. They are nice to have as reference, without having to thumb through a book.
(goin through Pf4's pdf now actually, ha ha)
Oh, man, I am PDF all the way. When it comes to moving day, ugh, the books I have to move, between computers and gaming. I like to keep great reads, and reference books, but I dislike to have every single scrap that I might have used once here or there. Plus, I tailor the content to an extreme degree IMC to fit in a Transylvania-Moldavian campaign setting. So all the names are different, and some classes/races are restricted for my campaign world based on Karameikos, Mystara (Known World)
Couple questions...first, where does this adventure take place in the world of Golarion? Second, how difficult (mechanically as well as thematically) would it be to place this adventure in Darkmoon Wood? Lastly, what is the new monster statted out in this adventure?
Couple questions...first, where does this adventure take place in the world of Golarion? Second, how difficult (mechanically as well as thematically) would it be to place this adventure in Darkmoon Wood? Lastly, what is the new monster statted out in this adventure?
This is set in Arthfell Forest in Andoran. You'd have very little trouble moving this a bit farther north to Darkmoon Vale, though you might need to change some of the story elements involving the history of the wood, as Forest King Narven was really Arthfell based rather than Darkmoon based. The new monster is the wooden protector.
I had to modify it for 6th level characters. I don't think it's railroady at all. The party has a plethora of options, up to and including leaving town and never coming back.
I will agree with one problem Don DM had, the wizard needs to be beefed up a little since he's the only fight. I made him a wizard/ summoner with his eidelon hiding in the shadows, attacking from hiding in the beginning of the encounter.
Tomorrow is the end-fight and it should be pretty chaotic. I'm planning on doing as they suggest and the other group comes in right behind the PC's, demanding the other items, then the guardian wakes up and attacks. The cleric just happens to have enough onyx to animate all the skeletons in the room. That should make the cleric PC feel incredibly useful and I can't wait for Knu to burn down the inn. lol
The PCs assumed the other group got the water, so they'll have to go back to collect that.
The main issue I had (and it's not a big deal) was the absence of the druid and I don't like just handing magic items out as payment, especially ones that are also old relics. There's no way the guy "hiring" them to retrieve the items would agree to just hand them over once he's done with them, so I'll have him keep them until he can find a suitable place for them. Either a locked vault or a museum.
Overall, it's a nice little adventure that I would recommend, but as most adventures, read it through to make sure you're ready for the conclusion.
I have a link to this for a discounted rate in my cart, but it won't work. Help?
Edit: Actually, NONE of the discounted prices are showing once the items are placed in my cart. Terribly disappointing. I was trying to buy some stuff to help support you guys and the OpenRPG movement.. but I'm not rich, either.
I have a link to this for a discounted rate in my cart, but it won't work. Help?
Edit: Actually, NONE of the discounted prices are showing once the items are placed in my cart. Terribly disappointing. I was trying to buy some stuff to help support you guys and the OpenRPG movement.. but I'm not rich, either.
send an email to customer.service@paizo.com and they'll straighten out your problem.
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