Rescue at Rivenroar (Chapter 1)

[The Dungeon Master]

The world has never been a safe place. Bastions of civilization populate a dark, menacing world—islands of order and reason exist in a land otherwise overrun by dark cults, vile monsters, creatures from the dark edges of the imagination, and worse. As deadly as the world is on a normal day, something has begun to stir on the fringes of the civilized Elsir Vale. Formerly the site of an attack by an army known as the Red Hand, the Vale has known several years of peace since brave adventurers stormed into the teeth of the approaching Hand and sent them scurrying back into the darkness. But the peace of Elsir Vale—and specifically, the town of Brindol, heart of the former conf lict with the Red Hand—has been shattered. The vague shadow of unease the locals have been experiencing lately has crystallized in the form of an attack on the town itself. Now Brindol finds itself once more in need of brave heroes willing to come to the aid of their citizens.

[The Dungeon Master]

Brindol
First visited in the 3rd edition adventure Red Hand of Doom, Brindol has a smaller population than it did before the events of that adventure. But the last decade has brought mild prosperity to the region, with only bandits disturbing the peace.
Population: 6,700; another 1,000 live within a five-mile radius of the town itself. The people of Brindol are mostly humans, half-elves, and dwarves. The town’s population swells by several hundred whenever some connected halfling clans known as “the river people” are in town.
Government: A town has a council, two-thirds of whom are hereditary landlords and the remainder of whom are guildmasters from the city’s important trade guilds. Lord Warden Harrik Orenna is the public face of the council and commander of the city militia.
Defense: The city has 200 soldiers under arms at all times, with about one-quarter on duty at any given time. In times of crisis, the Lord Warden has access to another 200 well-equipped but poorly trained soldiers by calling up the militia.
Inns: Chatrenn and Sons; The Red Door; Avandrian Hostel; The Silk and Spoon; Pantashi Inn.
Taverns: Ilya’s Cardhouse; The Marooned Schooner; Cleftie’s; Brindol Gentleman’s Club; the Blue Parrot; the Antler and Thistle.
Major Guilds: Prospectors; Blacksmiths and Smelters; Teamsters and Farriers; Weavers; River Bargemen (halfling controlled).
Supplies: Alchemy by Adronsius (currently closed); Gavriel Arms and Smithy; Staghunter Outfitters; Alpenglow Trading House.
Temples: Temple of Erathis; College of Ioun; Shrine of the Sun (Pelor); Moondust Temple (Sehanine); Shrine of Bahamut (no permanent clergy); Shrine of the Open Door (Avandra).

[The Dungeon Master]

Session 1 (7/17/10), encounter 1
Players: Candi (2 chars.), Todd, Tom, 1 NPC
The Dragonborn Akara and Gardunk meet and also make the acquaintance of the Goliath Sedge at the Antler and Thistle Tavern.
Bar Fight!
The gentle hubbub of the evening is shattered by the crack of the front door flying off its hinges to land amid the nearest tables. Four hobgoblins rush into the bar, swords outstretched to skewer the nearest bar patrons. “For Sinruth! For the Hand!” they cry in Common.
There are 7 patrons in the tavern and a bartender, all of whom react either in terror, stunned disbelief, or uncontrollable anger.
Joining the heroes in the defense of the tavern are a Wilden named Lillenia and a half-elf named Morgan.
The hobgoblins attack in waves, joined by a couple of goblins that seem intent on trying to burn down the tavern by throwing bitumen torches behind the bar.
Although the paladin had a close call, the goblinoids are defeated and the fires extinguished with no loss of life among the citizenry or the heroes.
The patrons that had fled come back and form a bucket brigade, making sure there are no smoldering embers or hot spots. A clearly wounded city watch patrol arrives and asks what has happened here, informing the heroes that attacks have been occurring all over the town.

[The Dungeon Master]

Session 1 (7/17/10), encounter 2
Players: Candi (2 chars.), Todd, Tom, 1 NPC
The Ogre Bombardier
As the party has been talking to the guards, they have been hearing shouts in the distance. But now those shouts are a lot closer, and a throng of townsfolk comes running around the street corner to the north.
They’re fleeing a curious sight: a full-grown ogre pulling a wagon by a yoke around its waist. The ogre holds a cask in one hand and a massive club in the other. Riding atop the
wagon are two hobgoblins with bows.
While initially intimidated by such a foe, the paladin bravely charges forward, blocking the engine of destruction's forward progress momentarily. A clumsy swing by the ogre and things went downhill from there. A powerful fire attack ignited the barrel in the ogre's hand and prompted the sorcerer to concentrate fire at the back of the wagon, causing a chain reaction as barrel after barrel exploded. The goliath covered the paladin's tactical maneuvering as, once again, the divine defender found himself in trouble. One of the hobgoblins escaped into the night just before the wagon blew into splinters.
A crowd gathered after the ogre was defeated and more guards arrived a few minutes later. They immediately asked for help defending the bridge. By the time the heroes reached the bridge, the attackers had already retreated.
The residents of Brindol spent the rest of the night putting out fires that the goblins set, tending to the wounded, and keeping a nervous watch from the ramparts.
The party rented rooms at Chatren and Sons and rested for the night.

[The Dungeon Master]

Session 1 (7/17/10), encounter 3
Players: Candi (2 chars.), Todd, Tom, 1 NPC
The Summons
The heroes awake to find a summons from the Brindol town council. Councilmember Eoffram Troyas asks to see the group privately. The solemn councilmember makes eye contact with each party member in turn and. after a brief discussion asks for specific assistance.
Seven inhabitants of Bristol were taken in the previous night's attack. They are Jalissa, acolyte of Ioun; Sertanian, castellan of the Hall of Great Valor; Thurann, 8-yer-old son of Kartenix the guard captain; Mirtala, cook; Zerriska, witch; Adronsius, alchemist; Kartenix, guard captain.
Also several items were taken from the Hall of Great Valor. They are an ornate, gilded dragoncrest helm, a ceremonial platinum longsword, a set of three shields with the Red Hand insignia, each with a charred hole near the center, a set of iron gauntlets with extensive filigree, and a heraldic battle standard depicting two hands clasped in a handshake.
Return the prisoners to Brindol and the party will earn 500XP and 100gp. Return the stolen items and the party will earn 100xp and 200gp.
Failure to achieve rapid results can cause the heroes to be replaced.

[The Dungeon Master]

Session 1 (7/17/10), encounter 4
Players: Candi (2 chars.), Todd, Tom, 1 NPC
Interrogating Morrik
Just as the party was told, there’s a lone hobgoblin in stocks
and shackles on the town green. His wounds from last night’s battle have been bandaged, but a number of tomatoes on the ground near him and on the surface of the stocks indicate that his treatment hasn’t been completely kind.
He takes one weary look at you and says, “I ain’t saying nothin’ unless you people let me go.”
The party is able to get the hobgoblin to treat reasonable with them, in spite of the guards preventing any deals actually freeing the creature. Sinruth is identified as the leader of the goblins. They are using catacombs under the ruins of Castle Rivenroar as a base for now. Morrik draws the party a crude map of the mountain path that leads to Castle Rivenroar.

[The Dungeon Master]

Session 1 (7/17/10), encounter 5
Players: Candi (2 chars.), Todd, Tom, 1 NPC
Tracking the Goblins
Hot on the trail of the hobgoblins and their captives, the party heads into the mountains northeast of Brindol.
After 8 hours of travel the party reaches the ruins of Rivenroar Castle. Ahead is a stairway that leads down into the catacombs of the castle.
Any new party members will have been picked up on the way.