Ravendale Campaign

When the Lady of Havalton Heights is contacted by an old friend about strange things happening in the Ravendale Valley she sends five adventures in her place to investigate.

## **Timeline**

The events of the Ravendale campaign take place in the early summer of 1288 sometime after the events of The Dragon Cult of Tharos.

## **Characters**

### PC's

* Bron Beefsmith
* Goblem
* Soap
* Fleetwood Sap
* Alfonze "The Deserter" Siegward
* NegroeDarcus Witcheater

### NPC's

* Dave(the dragon)
* Ranaldo
* Guru Baba Muk
* Professor Wolf
* Igra
* Master Borgo
* Ol 'Kipper
* Chipmunk
* Dwight C. Hark

## The Story

The campaign spanned 14 sessions and lasted 7 months

### The Long Road

After the events of The Dragon Cult of Tharos campaign the adventuring group that comprised of Alfonze Siegward, Bron Beefsmith, Fleetwood Sap, Goblem, and Soap where working as guards and protectors in Havalton Heights. Then one day in the spring of 1288 they where approached by Lady Maxis to help one of her old friends out. The group accepted this task and set forth on the long journey to a place called the Ravendale valley some thousand miles away.

### Ravendale Valley

After weeks of traveling with a slow trade caravan they finally arrived outside of the Ravendale valley at town called Dormill. Here they were to meet a man name Ranaldo at an inn called the McGaffrey Inn. After meeting with Ranaldo the group learned that strange things have been happening in the Ravendale valley and that a thick fog has completely covered the entire valley. Ranaldo asks the group to help him find his wife in the valley and that he will show them where she might be. Suspicious of this odd alcoholic half-elf they reluctantly accept and follow him into the valley.

### The Fog

The group then set off following the Raven River till they reached the tall cliffs that act as a wall that protects the valley and creates great waterfalls that are called The Falls. The group then scaled the cliffs while fighting off giant insects and falling rocks. When they reached the top they stood face to face with a massive wall of fog at the edge of the Somberwood forest.

The group; with Ranaldo's advice decided to travel through the Somberwood to save time on their way to the town of Ravendale. Once inside the forest they found travel slow and uneventful but then came across a massive tree house among the tall redwoods in the center of the Somberwood. Inside the tree house they found Guru Baba Muk and the anthropologist Professor Wolf. Before the group could even say hello the tree house was attacked by a Mechanical dragon(or Mech Dragon). The group sprang to action as the dragon let out a beam of fire that obliterated the treehouse killing Ranaldo and hurting everyone else left in the house. The group then defeated the mech dragon and soon after met a half-orc named Igra and a human named Ol 'Kipper.

After the commotion of the battle and the meeting of Igra and kipper Fleetwood Sap disguised himself as Ranaldo who knew Igra and Kipper. Fleetwood tricked them and they carried on even though he was really dead. Igra told them they needed to meet there master; Garad Borgo.

### The Red Lantern

After the events in the Somberwood the group was lead out of the forest to the town of Ravendale. When the group arrived there was nothing but ruins and ash. The town had been completely destroyed except for an inn called the Red Lantern. Inside the Red Lantern there were about a dozen people that managed to hid in the basement of the inn and survive the attack. In a back side room the group met Master Borgo who told them who he was and that he needed them to help him reach the ancient ruins of Irondeep to find any evidence that the demon lord Aavak has return. He asked the group to help the survivors with various tasks in the meantime while he prepares himself for the journey.

The group then helped Igra find her dog Duke at The Falls and help rescue a child from the military in the valley. The group also helped a crazed old woman bring back the ravens to the valley by defeating a crazy wizard named the raven king.

Also during the groups time in the Red Lanturn Feleetwood sap recruited many survivors to join his cult. Months later the cult would move far west and grow to over 30 members. The cult would do good for itself and build a compound. The compound then was destroyed by cultist of Aavak in the late summer of 1288 during the Age of Ash campaign. This would not be the end of the cult and it would resurface many years later with the new name of The Followers of the Sap lead by a man named Chipmunk.

### Settling the Record

Once the group had helped the people in the red lantern they where confronted by Master Borgo, Igra, and Ol'Kipper. Ol'kipper new Fleetwood Sap had been lying and that they had found Ranaldo's body. Master Borgo then confronted Goblem and said he was a demon that needed to be sent back to The Nine Hells. Goblem then tried to escape but was promptly sent back to hell by Borgo.

As the group prepared to leave the group was approached by NegroeDarcus Witcheater who wished to join the group. The group accepted and they set out north with Master Borgo to find the ancient ruins of Irondeep. As the group went north Igra and Ol'Kipper went south with Fleetwood's cult and the rest of the survivors of Ravendale.

Also during this time Alfonze forged a relationship with Igra.

### The Bog

To reach the ruins of Irondeep the group would have to pass through a swampland called the Black Bog. Travel would be slow through the swamp and take a few weeks. The first stop through the swamp was a small hamlet called Old Hallow. There they met a orc man named Mog who sold the group suppies and took them up the river on his boat. A few mile up the river the boat was attack and sunk. The group paid Mog and Mog returned to Old Hallow while the group continued on there journey.

After many miles of travel fighting through dozens of Hobgoblins the group came across a cave where they camped the night out. During that night Fleetwood Sap planted a magic bean that turned into a magical blue campfire. On first inspection it was nothing but fire but then the flames started to talk and hurl insults at the group. Fleetwood Sap then transfected the flame into a lantern and called him Mr. Bean. The next morning the group went in the cave and cleared it out of Hobgoblins. Then when they thought they where clear a Hag named Agatha Frogwart appeared from nowhere and stole Mr. Bean and disappeared before they could do anything.

Tired and sick of the Black Bog the group finally reached the other side of the swamp and saw the place they had traveled so far to see; Irondeep.

### Irondeep

As the group reach within five miles of the castle that sit atop the ancient dwarven city the fog cleared and the ground began to shake. Before them the whole of the ancient city lifted from the ground and floated above them. As this happen an airship appeared above them too from the south. The airship lowered and the group could see Lady Maxis starting on the top deck. The airship let down ropes and the group boarded the ship.

Before Lady Maxis could even explain anything two mech dragons flew down from the floating city and attacked the airship. An intense and difficult battle ensued leading to the group using one of their dragon bone whistle that summoned the dragon Dave. After what seemed like forever Dave finally arrived and wrestled the mech dragons in midair. Then suddenly the group found they had been teleported into some kind of arena. Before them satt a tall and hard looking man; it was Dwight C. Hark. More commonly known as General Hark who was a war hero who had taken over the Zarithian Empire in the spring of 1288. He sat in a large chair that look liked it belonged in a study next to a bookcase. All this was in a large open room with sand floor. Around them was only darkness and they could only see 10 feet in any direction. General Hark then looked from his book and gave a soft grin. He closed his book and said

> "Well...well...well. Look has finally arrived. I've been waiting some time to meet you all. So they sent you after me?"
>
>

He then looked the group up and down and laughed

> "Well I can't say I'm impressed. Well anyway, where are my manners I haven't introduced myself. You know what? Let my guy tell you who I am. I mean that's what I'm paying him for."
>
>

Hark then stands up and the room fills with light. The group then can see they are standing in the middle of an arena filed with thousands of orc, goblin, hobgoblin, and giants. Then a loud booming voice speaks and says

> "Ladies and gentlemen, ghouls and goblins of all ages put you're hands together for our dark lord and master Aavak!!!"
>
>

Then General Hark's form starts to change and turn into Aavak's human form while the crowd goes wild. Aavak then teleport s to his throne and claps his hands and says "Let the games begin." The group is then forced to fight wave after wave of demons and monsters until they manage to barely escape by having Master Borgo teleport them out of the arena.