| Miraj |
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One of my regrets about the first time I ran ROW was that Heldren had so much backstory, but if the players just jump into going into the woods (like mine did) they will never know how much depth was there. So based on some ideas from this forum, I decided to modify 'Hollow' from Tales of the Old Margreve to get the players more engaged with Heldren before the actual snow travel began. https://paizo.com/products/btpy8hp6?Tales-of-the-Old-Margreve
The backstory
1000 years past, a Jadwiga dallied with an elven druid and gave birth to twin girls. One was pale as snow like her mother, the other bore the colors of the forest, like her father. Migori went to live with her father, while Jenevra stayed behind in the lands of Irrisen. Both of them felt the call of the woods, but where it was indulged in Migori who became a Druid, in Jenevra it was twisted by the cruelty of the Jadwiga who did not believe a half-elf could truly be noble.
This led Jenevra to make a deal with a devil, traveling to the Border Wood, she built golems of wood and used them to help her collect souls that she used to increase her power. The most powerful of her constructs wielded a vorpal scythe and was known as the Hollow Man. For years, those around her lived in terror and tried to band together to resist. During this time Jenevra found the location of her sister in the forest, and sent many of her minions after her. But Migori had become powerful in her own right, and instead of ending her, Migori vowed to bring Jenevra to justice, leading a coalition of villagers and the denizens of the forests to bring an end to Jenevra and her wooden soldiers.
Those who fought in the battles referred to them as 'The Hollow Wars' and many lives - and sometimes souls - were lost in the fighting. The town that became Heldren constructed a statue to 'General Migori' and every year on the date the Hollow Man was finnally defeated, burned a wooden figure in effigy, a tradition that is still remembered, though not practiced in current times. Jenevra herself was defeated and vanished into the forest, and was not heard from again for a millenium.
Jenevra had attempted to merge her consciousness into that of a treant, but in the process drove the treant into torpor. It was the opening of the portal and the energy through the ley lines that awoke one of her wooden guardians. It returned to its mistress and began to collect the life force of small animals, begging to awaken Jenevra. She did not return to consciousness, but instead began a mournful, wordless keening that drove animals near to madness. She felt want... she needed something bigger, something with more soul... and that led the pale shadow of the Hollow Man into the town of Heldren late one afternoon...
| Miraj |
A disturbance at the Stables
It's a sunny, but brisk afternoon in Heldren shortly before midsummer. Many of the townsfolk have gathered in the Silver Stoat, including Old Man Dansby who is complaining again about crops being stolen. Unbenknownst to him, his milk cow is about to be the next victim. The 'Hollow Man' bring with him an aura of uneasieness that disturbs animals within a mile radius. The first sign of this the PCs have is that the horses in the stables begin to go wild.
They may also notice that there are no birds chirping, no signs of animals of any kind in town other than those that are tied up or confined.
The Headless Cow
If the PCs investigate Old Man Dansby's farm they find a headless cow in a spell circle on the ground. Detect magic reveals lingering traces of necromancy. Survival / Perception may also reveal the bodies of small animals - those that were driven to madness and attempted to attack the Hollow Man.
The cow did not attempt to fight and there are no signs of a scuffle - merely the circle drawn around it in the barn. The other animals on the farm are all cowering, silently.
The PCs may be able to get an idea of the direction of the Hollow Man's retreat based on the small dead animals and the sound of silence. In my game, I gave a Survival DC 17 to track him for the first few miles before they are unable to follow any more. In the original the Hollow Man effectively has Trackless Step, but I wanted my players to feel like they were not entirely stymied.
Bees!
If the PCs return to the Silver Stoat they find that the elf and her dwarf companion are gone. If the PCs ask, they'll be told that she's been asked to tend to several people who were attacked by a swarm of bees. She will be in Willowbark Apothecary tending to them.
| Miraj |
Introducing Heldren:
In the Silver Stoat - it's likely that the players will start out in the tavern. There they will see many of the town's inhabitants. Old Man Dansby will be here - complaining. The PCs might notice the odd pairing of the elf and the gold toothed dwarf - Tessaraea and Argus. They will also likely hear locals discussing who is courting Xanthippe, and who has been punched. One of the PCs may decide to throw their hat in the ring. And of course, Menander and Kale can introduce the party to Three Devil Ale here.
The Livery Stable - if the PCs go to investigate the disturbance in the stables, there they can meet Sophia Imirras. They may also be able to help her calm the horses.
Outside while they have the opportunity to notice the silence of the animals they can also see the clock tower and the statue of "the Lady", and perhaps even speak with the locals about the theories around the statue.
Old Man Dansby's house - after an hour has gone by, or if the PCs report the cow's death, the village council and Old Man Dansby will arrive to investigate. Ionnia Teppen will offer the PCs a reward 'at least the worth of a cow' to the PCs if they discover the cause of this attack. (Cow is worth 50gp, but the players will have to ask around to figure that out if they don't have appraise or actually know what a cow costs. ;) My players were initially very unsure as to whether or not this was a good reward!) They can also meet Natharen Safinder who will likely use Detect Magic even if the PCs do not. Old Mother Theodora will make ominous statements about impending darkness. The Elders may also discuss whether or not the cow is safe to eat, and whether or not the local Butcher should be called in to carve the cow up.
Willowbark Apothecary - Tessarae doesn't know anything about what's happened with the cow, but she will offer to sell the party Alchemist Fire 'just in case'. If the party buys anything from here, then a DC 12 Perception check will let them notice the very large quantity of Alchemist Fire that she has in her shop. 'In case of trolls, of course!' she will respond as though it is perfectly normal to have enough Alchemist Fire to burn down an entire village. If the PCs express a concern about trolls themselves, this gives them a +5 circumstance bonus on Diplomacy rolls to reduce the price of alchemist fire, or to allow them to use her equipment to make their own alchemist fire. She won't reveal her brother's tragedy without getting to know the party better, however it will give the party a sense that there is more to her story - and also give them the opportunity to acquire the alchemist fire that will be of assistance to them.
| Miraj |
A Hollow Tale
The Hollow Wars have nearly been forgotten, but live on in children's rhyme. The rhyme is known to the locals, who know that there used to be a yearly festival where an effigy of the Hollow Man was burned. Characters who make a DC 20 Knowledge [local] check will know the rhyme and also know that it celebrates the way wooden creatures were killed in times past.
Knock, knock, knock;
The Hollow Man calls.
Swing, swing, swing!
His greedy scythe falls!
Chop, chop, chop;
He takes another head.
Burn, burn, burn!
The Hollow Man is dead!
Turn, turn, turn;
He's come for your soul.
Run, run, run!
He's going to make her whole.
| Miraj |
Another attack
During the day the party may continue to interact with the townsfolk, but nothing will occur until late afternoon again. They may hear the rhyme from above as the children in town take note of the headless condition Dansby's cow.
This night the Hollow Man is finally here for a human - and he's going to Old Man Dansby's nearest neighbor. If the PCs are on watch, then a DC 15 Perception check will alert them to the odd form approaching from the forest.
You see a man running in terror from the forest, and behind him a foul creature lurches into view. Made of moldering briar, bone white parched branches, and rotted tree trunks, it grips a cruelly bent scythe in one hand, the weapon hung with the corpses of animals - some of which seem to still twitch. The creature has no eyes and yet it seems to be locked on to the fleeing farmer. As it raises its galled head, an idiot moan drones from it, sending a chill of unease down your spine.
The Hollow man is a weakened Wood Golem. I made him CR 3 by giving him a BAB of +5, having him only use the scythe Harvester (which acts as a +1 Scythe) and reducing his Strength and Dex to 12. He maintains the immunity to magic and DR 5/adamantine but not the splintering attack. (You may want to adjust this, I ran it as a prequel for only 3 players who had no magic. It may need to be beefed up if there's an alchemist in the party.)
The Hollow Man has one target, and will for the most part ignore the party while pursuing the farmer. The moan causes his target to be shaken, but he needs a full round to inscribe the circle. The Hollow Man will attempt to trip his foe, and the he can use Harvester to stun him. (DC 15 Will Save for the level 1 Commoner to resist). Then he'll do the equivalent of a Coup De Grace on the old man to create the circle and take his soul and head.
If the party is able to bring the Hollow Man below half health or attacks him with fire he will turn and flee, his victim spared - for this night. But he will return again unless he is killed.
| Miraj |
Tracking the Hollow Man
As noted before, the most effective way to track the Hollow Man is to look for the corpses of the animals that are driven mad by his droning. Mother Theodora may also have advice, or there may be an opportunity to use divination or other means of finding the Hollow Man's lair. The Hollow Man will return each night, although perhaps seeking a different target, giving the PCs opportunities to follow him - and for him to take a head if the PCs are not vigilant enough. The Hollow Man takes the same path to town each night, so the array of fallen animals becomes easier to spot as the days pass.
The animals may take out their frustrations on the party, so attacks from crows, wolves, etc. are entirely reasonable to keep things interesting.
Hopefully the party has either availed themselves of alchemist fire, or have some fire of their own.
| Miraj |
The Singing Tree
As the party approaches the clearing with the Singing Tree they begin to hear something up ahead.
As you travel through the deep woods you hear a strange, wordless keening ahead. Unearthly and longing it causes every hair on your body to stand upright.
Further ahead is a clearing where the Hollow Man heals in the branches of a once great tree.
The woods open up into a clearing - blighted and decayed you see ahead a once magnificent tree. Now the poor thing is riddled with fungus and bare of leaves, large black cankers swollen with disease. The air is thick with flies and other insects, their droning making a discordant backdrop for the voice coming from... the countless severed animal heads that leer from the branches of the tree, the meeting point of plant a flesh a riot of lesions and pus.
Note: If the Hollow Man has managed to kill humans their heads will also be in the tree, and the party may hear fragments of words within the song. "Kill" and "Help" and "Live" all entangled in the eerie melody.
If the party enters the clearing, then the tree orders the Hollow Man (if it still lives) to attack. The Hollow Man will have healed 3 hit points for each hour it has rested in the trees branches.
The Singing Tree is a CR3 Animated Object Variant. Vulnerable to fire, and immune to non-fire magic. The Tree can sing 1/round which has the effect of a lesser confusion spell, DC 16, CL 4. It can also weep, which acts as Summon Nature's Ally II, CL 4. She chooses to use it to summon Giant Centipedes to her defense. (You can make the Summon once every 1d3 rounds if the party is not well suited to the fight).
The Singing Tree only has a movement of 5 so cannot follow the party if they decide to flee and return. It will return to full health, however there is nothing that would prevent the party from bringing help if they are outmatched. If they do rely on say, Natharen Safander, the cleric of Erastil, I'd reduce the party's xp because the fight will be much easier.
The Hollow Man will continue to fight even if the Singing Tree is defeated.
| Miraj |
Development
Once the Singing Tree is defeated, it becomes a bone white tree with the face of a beautiful pale woman with delicate features. She bears some similarity to the statue of the Lady, but does not seem to be the same woman.
Treasure
I had the tree blossom and give magic apples (one for each PC) that give a permanent +2 max hit points as a thank you for releasing Jenevra from madness. This was in part because my party has very limited healing and a bit more survivability made my life a little easier in terms of balancing encounters for level 1. Healing them to full or giving them some other sort of bonus would also make sense, including something like cold resist 1 due to her Winter Witch heritage.
Additionally, beneath the tree if they make Perception DC 20 of state that they are digging under the tree are potions of healing, a masterwork chain shirt, and 200 gp worth of various possessions of Irriseni make. Silver mirror with ebony handle, bone hairbrush with dire boar bristles, perfume bottle made of jade, etc.
| Miraj |
Future options...
I ended up running The Honey Queen after this, placing a map hidden in the mirror that indicated 'the Yokels' (aka Heldren), various specialty woods, Iron Wood, etc. and a spot marked and labeled "Effildawnan blooms - Eternal Life?"
This allowed me to introduce Tengezil Frimbocket as the PCs asked him to look at the map to figure out where the Ironwood stand was. It also allowed me to pull in new players at the end - frozen in honey along with Lyla. One was a veteran of The Hollow Wars, and one was a Jadwiga Tashanna who had gone investigating rumors of riches and power to the south that would cooincidentally remove him from being pulled in to whatever unrest would occur when a new Queen was installed.
I'm thinking I'll use the Challenge of the Fang for the Rimepelt in book two, and I'm trying to decide if I want the statue of the Lady in Walsby to be one of the sisters or someone else.
I'm also contemplating using some of the creatures from the Old Margreve in other encounters, especially the forest around the Hut. My game still hasn't passed the Winter Portal yet, so still deciding.
| Murph. |
I'm a big fan of "Hollow"! How did your players like it? My players just finished "Snows of Summer" and I was toying with the idea of up-leveling Hollow (and also converting to 2e, eek?) to have it happen on the road to Whitethrone.
Sounds like you're more familiar with Margrave than I am, are there other adventures you think might fit well/better as interludes before Shackled Hut?