Task F: Places of Interest

Commodore

*eyeroll*
So these aren’t strictly defined, but any sandbox needs little sites to bump into. We can place them where they make sense. I’d suggest associating rumors with each encounter/mini-adventure locale. This encourages some direction if you are West Marching, gives hints to avoid Quantum Ogre issues, and also rewards talking.
Even though these aren’t full-up dungeons, these should be dynamic and interesting little scenarios. Talking is good, players need to be able to overcome challenges with thinking rather than thwacking, and interesting rewards/treasures ought to be available (allies/minions/hirelings are excellent rewards, too). Like random encounters, these little sites/scenarios need to drip with setting flavor.
 

Commodore

*eyeroll*
Site 1: Glass Grippli Bones
Rumors (d6):
  • The Friipriipriip tribe have been pushed out of their traditional hunting grounds and left their home village in a hurry, leaving behind their valuables. (T)
  • Friipriipriip pipers enchant people with their strange music. (T)
  • The Friipriipriip are cannibals who eat their honored dead. (F)
  • A terrible dire condor has taken to hunting in the abandoned Friipriipriip grounds. (T)
  • The Friipriipriip trade with raw gold nuggets, they had a secret mine. (F)
  • Friipriipriip are masters of poison. (T)
A Piper in the Village:
Within the largely abandoned Friipriipriip village a lone Glass Grippli sits playing a sad tune on a green flute. He is Ruikik, son of Croarik, and he has remained behind while the rest of his tribe moved on because he seeks to retrieve his father’s bones. He’ll be friendly and helpful if the party aids him. The village has valuables left in the form of poisons, a few potions, and some fine vicuña wool ponchos. They’ve left behind poison traps and other nasty surprises which Ruikik can disable for them.
46
The Bone Field:
Croarik’s bones are in the Friipriipriip sky burial field. The sky burial field is haunted by a dire condor who has developed a taste for Glass Grippli, but the dire condor will certainly be willing to try other humanoids if they present themselves. Assuming the players help Ruikik, he’ll give them his old flute, made from the etched bones of a less-talented ancestor. This is the magic item of the encounter, a flute that is enchanted to make everyone who hears it (including the flutist) have to save vs. sleep.
STILL NEEDED: Map of village. Details of trap(s). Loot list. Map of sky burial field. Dire condor designed.
 
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The1True

My my my, we just loooove to hear ourselves don't we?
Dude, I was hating these Glass Grippli til I read this. This is good stuff!
 

Commodore

*eyeroll*
Site 2: Shrine of the Small God

Rumors (d6):

  • The shrine Zirax, the god of cabbage, had three golden cabbage idols protected within. (T)
  • If you come to the lone shrine of Zirax, hold a cabbage at all times to be safe. (F)
  • The Conglomerate has hired contractors to plunder ancient shrine sites. (T)
  • The small gods of the ancients were neglected and thus grew vengeful. (F)
  • Horace Suddrey and his crew of old relic hunters have been sighted on the mountain. (T)
  • Only those wearing green can see the shrine of Zirax. (F)
Plundering the Shrine:
1511964671-cabbage-groundsel-in-flower.jpg
The Shrine of Zirax is in a small slot valley high in the tussock grasslands. Horace Suddrey and his four assistants are hidden above the shrine in a thicket. They have spread rumors about the shrine and ensure that the trail leading to the shrine remains obvious. They have been watching relic-hunters enter the shrine and have murdered the two that made it out with golden cabbages; one more golden cabbage to go. Zirax himself is thrilled with this development; the murdered shrine-raiders have counted as human sacrifices, waking him up after eons of slumber. Another couple deaths and he’ll be able to empower his very own cleric. If a player hits it off with the tiny godlet, Zirax may offer the position of high priest to that player.

STILL NEEDED: Map/key of shrine. Traps and corpses showing the traps. Clues to the murders. Relic hunter Horace’s statistics.
 
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Grützi

Should be playing D&D instead
Site 1 is really good, got a avery distinct feel right away, same for site 2.
I really dig the tiny godlet part. Would be awesome for the partyto have a godling on their side.
And Horace Suddrey is an awesome name ... but a shitty person it seems.
 

The1True

My my my, we just loooove to hear ourselves don't we?
Throwing this one out there:
Hunt for the Maneater-
  • Children/little people are disappearing from town (2 or 3 so far). There's a rumour, a Help Wanted and a direct request for assistance from an NPC as hooks.
  • Evidence at the scene of the last disappearance includes dust and fur. The dreaded Dust Demon!
  • Tracking the maneater to its lair reveals a Giant Dire Chinchilla and its young. It has somehow acquired a taste for (demi)human and probably needs to be dispatched.
  • It has young, they mature quickly and may be raised and trained as excellent wasteland mounts!

  • Among the debris in the [burrow?] can be found the fresh remains (or possibly the latest victim in a wounded state) and an older human skeleton with scraps of fabric about it bearing the colours of the local militia.
  • There have been rumours and possibly a direct request for assistance regarding a scouting party due back almost a month ago.
  • Further tracking leads to a disturbed stone cairn over a shallow mass grave in a particularly wild and lonely location.
  • The remains of the missing scouting party can be found mummified within, identifiably dressed in militia uniform.
  • The Desiccated Andean Mummies attack?(!)
  • A search of the area turns up: Clue: a torn piece of uniform or identifiable weapon known to be warn/used by [Secret Internal Rival Faction]. Research: An encrypted note/map secreted about the person of one of the corpses reveals the scouts discovered something where there wasn't supposed to be something. Tracking reveals a conspicuous lack of tracks/drag marks/signs of conflict. Someone cleaned up and left cautiously.

  • PC's can follow the clues to a key Location or return to the Settlement with news.
 

Ice

*eyeroll*
Site 1: Glass Grippli Bones
Rumors (d6):
  • The Friipriipriip tribe have been pushed out of their traditional hunting grounds and left their home village in a hurry, leaving behind their valuables. (T)
  • Friipriipriip pipers enchant people with their strange music. (T)
  • The Friipriipriip are cannibals who eat their honored dead. (F)
  • A terrible dire condor has taken to hunting in the abandoned Friipriipriip grounds. (T)
  • The Friipriipriip trade with raw gold nuggets, they had a secret mine. (F)
  • Friipriipriip are masters of poison. (T)
A Piper in the Village:
Within the largely abandoned Friipriipriip village a lone Glass Grippli sits playing a sad tune on a green flute. He is Ruikik, son of Croarik, and he has remained behind while the rest of his tribe moved on because he seeks to retrieve his father’s bones. He’ll be friendly and helpful if the party aids him. The village has valuables left in the form of poisons, a few potions, and some fine vicuña wool ponchos. They’ve left behind poison traps and other nasty surprises which Ruikik can disable for them.
View attachment 46
The Bone Field:
Croarik’s bones are in the Friipriipriip sky burial field. The sky burial field is haunted by a dire condor who has developed a taste for Glass Grippli, but the dire condor will certainly be willing to try other humanoids if they present themselves. Assuming the players help Ruikik, he’ll give them his old flute, made from the etched bones of a less-talented ancestor. This is the magic item of the encounter, a flute that is enchanted to make everyone who hears it (including the flutist) have to save vs. sleep.
STILL NEEDED: Map of village. Details of trap(s). Loot list. Map of sky burial field. Dire condor designed.
This is an incredibly strong start. I really like the name "Friipriipriip" and I love the inclusion of the dire condor. I especially like the "Friipriipriip pipers enchant people with their strange music" rumor. Very cool!


The concept I had in my head for a frogman village would be a pond or series of ponds (breeding pools) in which there are are giant tadpoles (the kids) and the Friipriipriip's valuables, including stone boxes filled with baubles, small shrines, and algae for eating. There could also be large, stinky mud pits, to which giant flies are tethered and are raised for food (maybe called rot pits). I drew up some of these on paper. I'll post them when I am at home with a bit of spare time and access to a scanner. Just some ideas.

Great work!
 
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DangerousPuhson

Should be playing D&D instead
The concept I had in my head for a frogman village would be a pond or series of ponds (breeding pools) in which there are are giant tadpoles (the kids) and the Friipriipriip's valuables, including stone boxes filled with baubles, small shrines, and algae for eating. There could also be large, stinky mud pits, to which giant flies are tethered and are raised for food (maybe called rot pits). I drew up some of these on paper. I'll post them when I am at home with a bit of spare time and access to a scanner. Just some ideas.
I'm fairly sure "frog-person swamp village" is something of an unoriginal trope by now, unfortunately. I can name more than a few adventures off the top of my head that have already done it, going all the way back to literally the first adventure module ever written. Unless you meant like mudgrass hut dirt frogs or something...
 
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Beoric

8, 8, I forget what is for
  • Children/little people are disappearing from town (2 or 3 so far). There's a rumour, a Help Wanted and a direct request for assistance from an NPC as hooks.
A child in the village takes to following one of the party’s fighters around like a puppy. If chased off, will watch from a safe distance; can be recruited for simple errands. Child goes missing, parents are frantic.

If death of a known NPC child by dire chinchilla is too dark for you, after chinchilla is dispatched, child turns up at a local dump trying to fabricate toy weapons and armor from scraps.
 
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