Adventure Hook: Skulls at Twilight

The creature took slow, deliberate steps as it approached the shrine. Long fingers carressed the largest of the skulls, savoring the feeling that would soon be gone. He paused briefly in his stroking to heft the remaining skulls in their makeshift bag of vines and twigs. The weight of the bag pleased him immensely as he took his final steps to his mother's graveside.

Kneeling down slowly, he took a quick inventory of the skulls already in place. Satisfied with what he saw, he did note that some had shifted and the pile seemed lower. He made the trip whenever he had collected enough offerings to his dead mother.

He was young when she died, just under a year. The humans didn't just kill her, they burned her and she died a horrible death. Hiding in the shadows of some nearby trees, he was frozen with fear at the sight of fire and so did nothing to help her. He slunk away to their cave and cowered through the night. When he returned in the morning all that was left was her charred outline on the ground. His limited mind rationalized that her body had been absorbed into the ground.

When he returned a number of months later he found a tree growing in the spot she had died. The creature saw this as a sign that his mother had forgiven him and fueled his need for vengeance, And while humans were his favorite target, he was not above targeting any walking vaguely humanoid from elves to orcs.

But hunting was getting scarce as his attacks had spread out through the area. Soon he would have to venture closer to human population. Somewhere beyond the swamp lands and on the edge of the forest. He grunted with satisfaction as he thought about where to go next.

Monster on the Loose (low-level)
While the troll is almost mature, it's mind is still very juvenile and its need for vengeance has priority. Safety is not high on his priority list as it feels it is invincible. However fire will cause it to rethink any attack or flee until a better moment presents itself.

Its tactics are to attack an outlying farm, kill the first adult it can find and then leave, taking just the head with it. He knows it causes fear in its remaining victims and he enjoys this sensation of power.

On its fifth day in the area, he targets a farm in the foothills a bit further out from the town where the farmers have not heard of his presence. Something happens this day when he sees a mother with 3 small children in the garden by their house. His first reaction is anger at seeing the children enjoy something he has missed. But then something changes and he finds himself wanting that same feeling. Instead of killing the woman he kidnap her and eventually heads back to his mother's shrine, two days away.

By this time the local constabulary is on the case and at some point the PCs are encouraged to track and kill the monster. Some clues will make it obvious that the troll has left the area and that the woman is still alive.

Goblin War Party (mid-level)
Concerned about the constant attacks from now mature troll, the remaining members of the Broken Toe goblin tribe have banded together with a number of other surviving goblin tribes in the area to eliminate the threat. This gathering of goblins is seen by a ranger who assumes an attack on the local town is eminent and so warns the people there. The PCs become involved when the attack doesn't happen and they have to investigate.

Meanwhile, the troll has become aware of the goblin uprising and is ready with its mate to do battle. It now has a child and will kill goblin or human to protect it.

Graphic image by Kepli
Text by dDA

Comments (3)

1  Written by pnyoomah, on 18-03-2008 07:45 Simple and straightforward, I like it. My group sometimes gets bogged down in detail so, this would be great.

3  Written by kepli, on 03-03-2008 09:59 Very cool Bil

Only registered users can write comments.
Please login or register.

Powered by AkoComment Tweaked Special Edition v.1.4.6
AkoComment © Copyright 2004 by Arthur Konze - www.mamboportal.com
All right reserved