A few of the characters IMC needed to level up a bit before Encounter at Blackwall Keep, so I worked Cry Wolf from Dungeon #102 into the campaign (scaled up to their level, of course).
I've read of others who had or were planning to do the same, so I thought I'd share some of the details of how I worked it into the campaign. Anyone with ranger &/or paladin PCs in their group may find this useful.
In Greyhawk, I used Ery Crossings, a small village downriver from Diamond Lake, for the town of Rendrick.
The PC's motivation was to see Derek Ravenclaw (from the Doomgrinder module), a former apprentice of Allustan, about a scroll I planted among the drow items found in 3FoE (the scroll made allusions to one of the PC's father). Alternatively, you can have one of the mine managers hire the PCs to guard some goods bound for market day at Ery Crossings, or to sell goods of their own, or to see Ravenclaw about something else altogether (perhaps he has a copy of the Chronicle of Chan).
==Spoilers ahead==
Before leaving, the ranger visited her home in Bronzewood Lodge & heard that Grogan had recently been by--he was seeking a unicorn recently sighted in the area (more on that later). He was sent away with disapproval. Rumors of Grogan's questionable hunting methods-pit traps, poison, etc--have made him unwelcome at Bronzewood Lodge--especially a few years ago, when he was showing on a dead sprite he'd recently taken to a taxidermist!
The PCs arrive in Ery Crossings, learn of the wolf hunt, & meet Grogan & Valorin. At this point, I introduce Gale, Grogan's pet wolf, & make it clear she's mistreated. Later on in the afternoon, after much intelligence gathering, the PCs return to the market & defeat Grogan & his thugs & learn that the wolf they're hunting is the animal companion of a missing ranger. After the battle, the ranger befrinds Gale & gains her animal companion.
The PC's follow Rain (the other wolf) to where his master is being held deep in the woods. There they defeat Meg & Tor & discover a grisly sight--a magnificent equine creature tied by the neck between four trees, with blood streaming down its forhead. Fearing the worst, they find the unicorn's horn among Tor's things & decide to try reattaching it with a cure light wounds spell. Unfortunately, the creaure rebuffs all attempts to approach it, raising its hooves threateningly (almost everyone in the party is of a neutral alignment). However, it calms down when the paladin approaches & allows him to "reattach" the horn. The party is temporarily blinded by a radiant light emitted by the unicorn. When their vison returns, they see that the "unicorn" has been replaced by a heavy war horse with the same color & markings (save for a reddish "blaze" on its forehead shaped like a lightning bolt), & the paladin receives his special mount.
Cool!!
Awesome!
Great Greyhawk tie-ins, and I love the unicorn-cum-paladin's mount! Great stuff. Nice adaptation of the adventure to serve as a little sidetrek from AoW. If I get the chance to run the path I might do the same.
Awesome!
Great Greyhawk tie-ins, and I love the unicorn-c~!-paladin's mount! Great stuff. Nice adaptation of the adventure to serve as a little sidetrek from AoW. If I get the chance to run the path I might do the same.
Thanks. High praise coming from the author. :)
Tito Leati's Iriandel(Dungeon#83?) might give you some more ideas to use on the unicorn.
It wasn't really a unicorn--just a test from Heironeous.
Iriandel's a good adventure-played it a few yesrs ago & set it in the Gnarley.