D&D Campaign One: Scalebreakers - 001
Trials & Tribulations
On the continent of Tal'Dorei, in the swampy trading town of Stilben, four adventurers from different corners of the world gathered in front of an old, slightly leaning villa. Lured by a flyer reading "Keen Adventurers Wanted!", they expected challenges and rewards, but found a series of trials waiting for them instead.
Greeted by Rupert, the polite and reserved butler, the strangers entered the estate one by one. They met for the first time in the waiting room: the reserved and quiet Elf Druid Keithara, the suspicious Goliath Artificer Skarn, the polite Kenku Ranger Ran, and the mischievous Half-Elf Cleric Arrin. The atmosphere was tense, punctuated by attempts to break the ice. Especially Arrin’s efforts to convert the group to the Matron of Ravens were met with mixed reactions. However, a joke by the Cleric eventually caused at least half of those present to burst into laughter.
The dynamic changed with the arrival of the master of the house, Calven Drevok, a cartographer and collector of forgotten secrets. His offer to join a special expedition was tempting, but the trials were designed to first prove the suitability of the gathered adventurers.
The first test put the group to work: a massive wooden door with a hidden mechanism. After futile attempts to open it by force, Ran found a clue which Keithara deciphered in no time to unlock the door.
In the next room, an incomplete map had to be filled in. Arrin and Skarn worked hand in hand here, placing the missing locations with precision. The reward: a map of the continent of Wildemount and a portal leading them to the next room.
The third trial began with caution but escalated when Skarn tried to sneak into a house, an attempt that failed due to his loud armor. A Magmin, a Flying Sword, and Animated Armor attacked.
Here, Keithara impressed with her Wildshape ability, transforming into a mighty Brown Bear. Not only did she wipe out a Magmin with a single claw attack, but she also leaped acrobatically onto a roof to engage the Flying Sword, only to jump down onto the Animated Armor from above to deal maximum damage. With a targeted bite and a claw attack, Keithara (in bear form) defeated the armor as well.
Meanwhile, Skarn repeatedly drew the damage of all monsters upon himself, holding his ground despite standing in flames multiple times, proving his skills as a tank. Arrin fulfilled his role as a healer, providing the party with Health Points. Ran, however, had to learn the hard way that his hyrax was not built to scramble up stone walls.
In the end, the group solved the final puzzle by finding the portrait of a knight within the house and placing the now lifeless sword into his hand. This allowed an artifact, the Wayfinder Compass, to be taken from the armor's hand without issue and added to their inventory.
Calven praised the group for their speed and explained the next step: investigating a new swamp area rumored to have been created by a powerful artifact. If misused, this artifact could trigger fires and cause entire regions to perish in flames within minutes. If information or the artifact itself were found, there would be a reward of 500 gold pieces per person.
Before Calven could finish his sentence, "The important thing is that...", a paralyzing spell seized the room. The adventurers and the butler Rupert found themselves immobile, stunned, and robbed of their senses, only able to vaguely make out figures kidnapping Calven. A message was left behind with the words: "Payment is made with knowledge, not gold."
The group, initially suspicious of Rupert, realized that he too was surprised by the incident. The evening ended with unanswered questions and a new sense of urgency: Who kidnapped Calven? And why? The trials had shown that the group could work together despite their differences. But with the abduction of Calven Drevok, the true challenges awaiting the party in the deep swamps and thieving abysses of Stilben have only just begun.
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