Main Story 1: Intro.doc

**Previous: Main Story 0: Forest of Novelty**

**Next: Main Story 2: 12/15/18**

Main Story part 1: Torvas

– exit portal –

The party finds themselves at the top of a small hill, the sun rising over the mountains in the distance. Assuming that you’re all able to decipher that that direction is east, you see that to the west is a vast desert and south is more hills. To the north you see a great plume of smoke, barely visible in the dim light of the morning.

(If smart, they’ll head toward the plume of smoke. If not, they’ll just head out into vast wilderness and encounter many strong things that will probably kill them and they will deserve it.)

After about a 2 hour travel, the party sees the source of the smoke: a town behind a thick sandstone/limestone wall, right where the desert meets the grass.

You find no holes in the wall, but the western gate is open with civilians fleeing the town and heading west down the road through the desert. (This is the only entrance.) Civilians will tell the party, when asked, that the town is being attacked by the Valhurstians, that the Valhurstians are undead, and that they’re fleeing to Redwyn. All information only given when directly asked each question, and each citizen will only answer one question before continuing to flee.

Inside are a mix of undead soldiers burning the town and knocking over stone structures with the town guard and some soldiers fighting them.

* The party can choose to attack either the town or the undead and the ones they help will become allies
* If they help the undead and take the town (unlikely), improv some interactions with undead soldiers after the battles.

– Battles –

* 2 short battles in the streets and town plaza, many undead outnumbering the multiple town.
* Final battle to take the keep, many strong human soldiers and undead, probably need to roll some kind of large-scale battle sim.

   (One of the soldiers will say “For Redwyn!” or “For [faction name]” during the battle in the keep)

   Battle 1: Directly down the road from the west gate is a barricade facing the town center, the skeletons attack. Afterwards, the howling of wolves is heard in the distance. Round 3: 2 skeleton warhorses ride in.

   Battle 2: The party and guards have pushed into the town center and are attempting to cut off the undead from reaching the gate. They see a couple of skeleton warhorses without riders, six skeletons, and a Minotaur skeleton. Afterwards, the howling is closer now. A soldier or hobgoblin they’ve been fighting with tell them to head towards the keep to flank the undead there while they hold the plaza. Round 5: One more Minotaur skeleton joins. Round 6: Hobgoblins riding wolves arrive and attack the undead, led by a 10-foot tall Goliath (Robitussin).

   Battle 3: Party attacks the undead at the keep. Large battle. Many soldiers and hobgoblins fighting many undead. Party doesn’t actually take much part in the battle, it’s basically over when they arrive.

After the undead are cleared from the town, a large orc in chainmail introduces himself Captain Onir of the Torvas Guard and thanks the party for their help then asks who sent them so quickly.

* If they say they weren’t sent, they’re given 50 gold each as reward.
* If they say they were sent from Redwyn or their faction, pass am easy deception check and get to each choose a base simple weapon or light armor from the armory and rest in the barracks if they want to regain HP, as well as 20 gold. On deception fail they get 25 gold each.

Captain Onir tells them “The army appeared inside the walls in the middle of the night without warning; none of the watchmen can say they saw their approach. Maybe we’ll find some ladders or siege towers outside the walls, but there’s no blind spot in our watch towers. They didn’t blow a hole in the wall, either. We had to open the gate just to let the citizens escape. It doesn’t seem possible that they could’ve…”

The Goliath walks up accompanied by a female hobgoblin wearing tan robes and a hood over her head, with jewelry such as a necklace and a rings. He gently pushes [the party member talking to Onir] aside and interrupts the captain:

“Our payment, as promised.”

“Robitussen… glad you decided to help out.”

“Just business. Captain.”

Onir begrudgingly sends a nearby guard into the keep for his payment. After a few awkward moments of silence, Robitussen looks at a few members of the party and gives a smirk then continues idly investigating his crossbow.

The guard returns and hands a small bag of gold to the captain: “Here, sir”

Onir simply hands the bag to the Goliath without speaking. He nods at the party and the captain then turns and walks away with his companion.

“That damn scoundrel. I always hate dealing with his like; they’ve got no sense of morals or loyalty to anything. Anyway… It doesn’t seem possible that the undead could’ve gotten in any other way if not over the walls or through the gates. Maybe some form of long-range teleportation magic? I’m no student of the arcane arts. But from what I remember, they were first seen somewhere on the east side of town.”

   (If they want to wander around town a bit, there’s a general goods trader on the northeast     side of town that survived the attack)

After investigating the east side of town, the party finds a group of guards standing around a massive hole dug out of the side of a burial mound in the town graveyard with decades-old skeletons littered in and around it that seems to continue down deep into the ground.

Main Story part 2: Take Sides

Upon telling Captain Onir about the hole, he tells them “A tunnel? Into the city? They must have dug well over a mile through solid stone. We must send word to Redwyn about this immediately and investigate this tunnel. We’re also running short on manpower what with rebuilding damaged structures and helping the townsfolk, to say nothing of staying prepared for a second attack. If you could take care of either delivering this message to Redwyn or investigating the tunnel, it would be much appreciated. Or you could help out around town. Maybe get some bearings, since it doesn’t look like you’re from around here. In any case, I’ll personally make sure you’re all well rewarded once the big guys in the city hear about it.” (The party can choose any option)

[The story is now a bit open-ended, the tutorial phase is now over. Players are encouraged to do stuff they want to do, sidequests, odd jobs, bounties]

If they choose to go into the tunnel, they will reach the Underdark. Reporting this back to Onir will begin his quest. Continuing through the tunnel will lead to an opening within Valhurst’s borders.

If they choose to go to Redwyn, they will have to make it through the sands since the portalmaster is resting in Redwyn after sending the entire population of Torvas through back to the capital.

If they choose to stay in Torvas, the citizens will slowly begin to return to the city. Small battalions of guards will be sent on expeditions into the tunnel, usually not returning. Eventually the portalmaster will send most of the citizens back through a portal before coming back himself, again needing to rest for a few days.

Torvas:

[See labeled town map]

Notice board in town center:

* Wanted: Nikolas. Human male. Wanted for treason and conspiracy. Last seen 6 days ago in a wood fort two days’ walk west of town. Guarded by many bandits. This man is very dangerous and his gang is not one to be dealt with lightly. Find strength in numbers. Only accepted captured alive. Reward: 2000 gold or equal platinum.
* Wanted: Cedric Crewe. Aasimar male. Wanted for smuggling. Last seen 3 days ago in the old warehouse on the south side of town, most likely has not left the walls. No known associates. Reward: 750 gold dead or alive. Edit: warehouse was destroyed in attack. Proof if killed: crescent moon necklace.
* Notice: All rats are to be exterminated. Reward: 5s per rat. Bring dead rats to the crematorium outside the south gate.
* Portalmaster will return the third day after the attack, and will need another three days’ rest to resume normal portal duties.

**Next: Main Story 2: 12/15/18**