Introduction

This adventure follows the principle that it should be customizable for multiple game frameworks, adjustable for various challenge levels, and easily modified to insert into an existing campaign world. It is intended to operate in a fantasy setting and is best used for Player Characters in the early part of their careers.

Adventure Summary

The spirit of Saravel Greyshadow has arisen near the village of Heathervale, seeking vengeance against the knight who defeated him. He is using his magic to attack the village, hoping to draw out the knight, drive him to renounce his god, and become a vessel for Saravel’s possession. He has twisted a pack of local wolves to serve his needs, having them attack the village’s livestock. He has also kidnapped the knight’s young daughter and replaced her with a magical construct.

Wilton Langford was once a holy knight of Volondar. He confronted and defeated Saravel seven years ago but, when Saravel begged for mercy, Sir Langford ignored his plea and struck him down. As he died, Saravel cursed Sir Langford, vowing revenge. Langford’s sword, and the hand that held it, were taken away and Langford was left with a bloody stump. Taking this as punishment for breaking his holy oath, Langford fled the order and returned to his home village of Heathervale in shame. After taking a wife and having a child, his shame deepened as he was unable to call upon holy powers to heal his wife when she became ill and she passed away. Since then, he has devoted his life to raising his daughter Emma with all the love he no longer feels for himself.

Players in this adventure have multiple goals that can be achieved:

• Rid the village of the threat from the spirit of Saravel by defeating him and his minions.
• Rescue Wilton Langford’s daughter, Emma, from Saravel.
• Assist Sir Langford in recovering his honor and regaining the blessing of Volondar.

NPCs

Wilton Langford
Once a holy knight of Volondar, god of righteousness and honor, he broke his oath and killed his enemy, Saravel Greyshadow, despite his plea for mercy. In shame, Wilton abandoned his Oath and the order of knights and took up residence in Heathervale. In the village, he found the love of Priscilla Tolbin, whom he took as wife and they had a daughter, Emma. Tragedy struck, however, as Priscilla came down with an illness and, with his holy powers of healing gone with his oath, Wilton was unable to save her. He now devotes all his energies to raising Emma and protecting her from perceived dangers of the world.

Emma Langford
An intelligent and gregarious five year old girl, Emma works hard to make her papa proud. She reveres her aunt and teacher Mrs Tolbin and hopes to live in a big city some day and experience the wonders of the wider world. An adventurous child, she often sneaks away from adult supervision to play – sometimes with her friends and sometimes alone.

Saravel Greyshadow
In life, Saravel delved deeply into dark magic, twisting or destroying the minds of his adversaries as he sought greater power. Defeated by the holy knight Langford, he begged for mercy at the end, though none was given and he was pierced through the heart. His spirit has since arisen with a vow of vengeance against his killer.

Felvert “Fel” Tolbin
Fel is a leading rancher in Heathervale and its de facto mayor, both on account of the Tolbin family’s long history in the village and his own staunch support for the community. Honest, but gruff, he can’t stand people who don’t put their responsibilities to the community first. This puts him at odds with Wilton Langford, his brother-in-law..

Yllonda Tolbin
Yllonda is Fel’s wife and the village school teacher. Raised in the city of Westermoon by a well-to-do family, she longed for a quieter life away from the political machinations of powerful families. In Heathervale, Yllonda teaches reading, writing, history, and math to anyone looking to better themselves and maybe find purpose out in the wider world. In her role as teacher, she knows Emma Langford quite well and is one of the first to have noticed changes in the child.

Hecuba Tufthistle
Hecuba is alternatively referred to as the Village Wisdom or Village Witch, depending upon who you ask. She may be called upon for simple healing or to consult on things related to the arcane or occult. She has lived in the village all her life, and holds the wisdom and knowledge passed down from her mother and grandmother, who also served Heathervale in a similar capacity.

Adventure Options

The names of people, locations, and deities can be changed as necessary, although any replacement for Volondar should still encompass the concepts of honor, justice, and mercy. You are encouraged to add NPCs to bring out the flavor of Heathervale, including adding some friends of Emma’s.

It is the author’s intention that Sir Langford’s loss of his sword and sword hand should be due to the curse of Saravel and not punishment by Volondar and that his loss of self-respect has broken his bond to the god rather than the god’s punitive action. The meaning being that if Langford can forgive himself for his failure, he can renew his oath to Volondar and once again become a knight, albeit a wiser and more compassionate one. As a Game Master you may accept, reject, or modify this as you see fit.

Although this adventure uses wolves as the threat against the villagers’ livestock, you may use any animal appropriate to the environment of your world, although they should be animals that have a pack mentality. This could be hyenas, wild dogs, lions, or anything of your own crafting. You can use quantity and tactics to ensure an appropriate challenge for your players.

Adventure Hook

The village of Heathervale lies a few days’ journey from the city of Westermoon and is off the beaten path, not being in proximity to any major trade routes. This suits the people of Heathervale just fine, as they pride themselves on their self-sufficiency. The village is primarily agricultural, with excellent grazing land, abundant water sources, rich soil, and a wooded area nearby to provide lumber.

Their herds have recently come under attack from wild packs of wolves. While the villagers have normally been able to defend their herds from such incursions, these attackers have shown greater tactical intelligence and the villagers have lost too many animals to bear.

The adventurers may learn of this need on their own and subsequently travel to Heathervale to take the job or they may already be in Heathervale when they are approached by Fel Tolbin.

Scenes

Meeting with the Mayor

The PCs can meet with Mayor Tolbin in any number of locations. If they meet him at the Dusty Rose Tavern, there are likely a number of other locals present who can add details to the situation. Alternatively, they may hear that the Mayor is looking for adventurers and head out to Tolbin’s ranch. It may be helpful to have some curious locals lead them there, since they’re interested in learning what happens and can still provide details.

“We got a bit of a problem, y’see? Wolves, but not like other wolves we’ve dealt with. These here buggers ain’t afraid of fire, ain’t afraid of us, and they ain’t killin to eat. Just to kill. They slink in, kill a few prime animals, and slink off agin. It ain’t natural and ain’t no one in the village seem to be able to do nothin about it.” – Fel Tolbin

Left unsaid is that they have a former knight living in town who’s too broken to help. This is something the PCs can discover through questioning of the villagers and can lead to a meeting with Wilton Langford.

The mayor has collected from the townsfolk a sum of money to use as a reward. The appropriate amount should be based on your world – enough to show the villagers are serious about getting the problem solved but not so much that it will bankrupt them.

The adventurers may want to examine the site of the last attack or even go on patrol with some locals with the intent of fending off the next attack.

Wilton Langford’s Cottage

This simple home is well tended, with a small corral holding a few sheep and some chickens. A young girl is likely fetching water from the well. She is very shy and non communicative. In fact, she is a magical construct created by Saravel, though no one has yet recognized this. Wilton can tell something is wrong, but has no idea what. He is pretty desperate to learn why she has suddenly changed.

“She’s always been an energetic little girl. A real handful, but the only blessing in my life. The day before yesterday she went off like she’s wont to do – only after her chores are done, a’course – I had to shout to get her home for dinner. She come back like this. Sad like. Barely says more than a mumble. No signs of harm and no one in the village saw nothing. I’m hoping she comes out of it in her own time, but I’m really worried.” – Wilton Langford

Questioning the Villagers

This being a small village, everyone knows everyone and child care is a shared responsibility. Locals can report they saw Emma down by the river a couple days ago, playing among the rocks. There was a wolf attack in broad daylight, though, and the villagers rushed to defend the animals. The wolves fled quickly. Later, they saw Emma heading back home, so they gave no more thought to it.

Down by the River

An investigation of the area around the rocks where Emma had been playing should turn up some strange twigs and leaves – clearly not part of the local flora. More difficult to find is the remains of a magic circle that Saravel used to charm Emma and transfer her likeness to the wooden construct he built to take her place.

Last Night’s Attack

The most recent attack occurred in the pasture lands east of the village. Two sheep were mauled and left, uneaten. The locals have already disposed of the bodies, but the ground can be searched to discover the wolves came from the northeast. This can provide a non-combat opportunity for the PCs to discover where the wolves’ lair is and should leverage other character investigative strengths.

Tonight’s Attack

A number of wolves (appropriate to present an easy challenge to the PCs) will come upon the flock/herd at night to attack. They will not run away at the beginning of a fight, but they won’t fight to the death if they can escape. Perceptive PCs should notice a much larger wolf remaining at a distance. The GM may make this something other than a standard wolf, whether a dire wolf manipulated by Saravel or an intelligent and evil wolf-like creature in league with Saravel.

Wolf Lair

A tumble of rocks make for a rough cave that the wolf pack uses for shelter. The rocks are adorned with magical sigils put there by Saravel to help him gain control over the pack. Destroying or otherwise damaging these sigils should break his hold over the wolves, allowing them to revert to their normal behavior and therefore driven off. The pack leader, however, should be more thoroughly controlled by Saravel and put up a fight to the death.

As long as the pack leader is alive, the wolves will fight in his defense. Once the leader is killed, the pack’s response is dependent upon the effectiveness of the sigils. A perceptive party can reduce the threat level of this encounter by destroying the sigils.

If the provided map of the wolf lair is used, the pack leader sleeps in the northeast portion of the cave.

Prior to Saravel taking control of the pack, they behaved as normal wolves would. Some remains of animals – mostly bones – should be present. The beasts are not treasure collectors, although you may sprinkle in some minor treasures from past inhabitants, if desired. Just be sure they don’t mislead the players into thinking the wolves are more than they are.

There are a couple ways the PCs can determine the location of Saravel:

• The leader of the pack knows where Saravel is located. If the creature is more intelligent than a beast, it may be given the ability to communicate under duress. The PCs may also have the ability to speak with animals and learn of Saravel that way.
• The sigils may be constructed in a way that suggests the direction of control comes from the west, north of the village. Either the PCs can determine this themselves or they may consult Hecuba (see below).

Hecuba’s Hut

If the PCs’ own knowledge of the arcane or occult are insufficient to recognize the sigils in the wolf lair or the magic circle used to copy Emma, they may need to consult Hecuba. Because she is concerned with the health and safety of the village and its inhabitants, she isn’t likely to charge the PCs for her help, though she will always accept favors, such as the acquisition of rare spell components.

The hut evokes all that are typical of a wise woman with some mystical powers – dried herbs, various concoctions in small vials, a few small animals to serve her in some capacity. After years of dealing with the superstitious nature of some of the villagers, Hecuba desires respect for her knowledge and abilities – if the PCs approach her in such a spirit, she is more likely to be as helpful as possible. Disrespect or mistreatment should result in just enough assistance to support the village.

If the PCs ask Hecuba to examine the fake Emma, she should be able to determine that the child is actually a construct made of plant matter. To test her theory, she will draw a silver knife to cut the child. This should draw a protest from Wilton, who will surely remain in attendance – he is one of those that shuns the wise woman. The construct, too, will shy away from the blade. If Hecuba is permitted to proceed, however, the blade will draw no blood and the illusion that masks the construct’s nature will fade away, revealing a child-shaped bundle of twigs and vines overlaid with dying leaves. It will remain animated, as before.

Saravel’s Lair

Carved into the side of a hill is an ancient burial chamber that has been avoided by the villagers for decades due to rumors of it being haunted. When Saravel’s spirit discovered that Heathervale was the home of Sir Langford, it found the old burial grounds a perfect spot to inhabit. It animated the crumbling remains of those once buried there and put them to work guarding the site, keeping away the curious and, once Emma had been captured, keeping her contained.

Saravel’s undead minions will seek to fulfill their duty to guard the chamber and the prisoner unless they are fully destroyed. The strength and number of these undead should be adjusted to present a significant challenge to the players. There could be some buried in the hillside that will rise to Saravel’s summons, should you wish to increase the challenge level.

Upon entering the tomb, there is an iron door to a chamber in the south. Graven into its surface are prayers to the gods to care for the spirits of those departed. Within the chamber are some of Saravel’s undead minions. They stand at the ready to come to the defense of the lair while staying out of Saravel’s way when not needed.

The main burial chamber to the north is where Saravel has taken up residence. Upon a large stone sarcophagus, he has mounted the hand and sword of Sir Wilton Langford.

As an encounter, the spirit of Saravel should be considered incorporeal, requiring magical or otherwise blessed or holy attacks to affect it. Sir Wilton’s sword is one such blessed weapon, but it only possesses such power when wielded by a holy knight. If Wilton is accompanying the PCs to rescue his daughter, consider how the PCs may help him regain his courage to face and defeat Saravel.

When building out stats for Saravel, the spirit has no physical might. Its main offensive capabilities should revolve around invoking fear and psychological harm in its enemies and commanding its minions to physically attack. Defensively, it can pass through physical objects, such as walls, though retreat is only an option if Wilton is not there. Saravel will not retreat from Wilton!

In the northeast chamber, additional minions guard the real Emma. If Wilton engages with Saravel, the PCs may be responsible for fighting the minions and freeing Emma. You may use her presence and witnessing her father in battle to spur Wilton onto his path to redemption.

As to treasure, the individuals originally interred in these burial chambers were likely buried with valuable personal possessions, which may have still been borne by Saravel’s undead minions, or at least remain in the original graves. Such treasures are likely precious metals, jewels, or objects of art, as you see fit.

Conclusion

At a minimum, a successful conclusion to this adventure is the rescue of Emma and destruction of Saravel. Ideally, Wilton will have participated in the rescue and redeemed himself by defeating Saravel and regaining his faith and honor. Mayor Tolbin will, of course, provide the promised payment to the PCs for their efforts. Wilton may also show his thanks in a material way, though he is unlikely to hold much wealth and he certainly won’t give up his sword.