Black as Pitch

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Campaigns: Slaadi Invasion | Northern Strife | Heroes & Traitors | Hollows | Black as Pitch |  |

Black as Pitch: Matron's Prayer Black as Pitch Campaign (DMed by David W.) This campaign arc began in March 2014 using the D&D Next playtest rules, updated as of October 2013. It follows a group of characters as they search for their "matron" in the Forever Forest after she has magically called for their help.

Matron's Prayer Beginning with a group of adventurers traveling north into the Forever Forest, this adventure follows these would-be heroes as they search for the one person that connects them.

For character information, go here.

Introduction: “Matron's Prayer”
Date: AB 1355, June 4

Near the edge Forever Forest of Bhan Ardu, where the wilderness still keeps a stranglehold over any semblance of civilization, five adventurers with one common goal travel north toward the dim and weary bastions that dot the landscape. Their matron, known by many names, has helped each of these would-be heroes at different points in their lives, taught them the ways of their martial and arcane trades and kept them safe amidst a world of unknown dangers.

Through magical and mysterious means, the matron has implored each adventurer to gather at the small town of Forever's Edge. From there, they travelled north toward the town of Holtum, the nearest hamlet connected by the Conifer Road.

On June 4th, the adventurers ran across a group of goblins who were attempting an ambush. As the mischievous monsters were hiding behind the trees lining the dirt path, Celest spotted them with her elf eyes and managed to prevent the goblins from getting the jump on them. Callie immediately shot a crossbow bolt through the chest of the nearest goblin while Vistra waded through the battle with reckless abandon. Grolar's fists flashed with fury as Magmus shot unerring magic missiles at multiple goblins. Celest summoned a thick mist that enveloped the battlefield, blocking the view of both enemy and ally. Vistra took the brunt of the damage dealt by the creatures and came close to unconsciousness. In the end, one last goblin began to run away, but Callie ran him down with her noble steed.

Near the battle site, Celest noticed a stone with no earthly business this far north in Jatua. Just off the west side of the path ahead, a large block of obsidian stuck out of the ground. Upon closer inspection, she discovered that the stone was actually a man-made box. As she opened it, a swarm of ants poured out. Using her vast knowledge of all earthly material, Vistra realized that the obsidian must have been made by carvers of the Blackstone Clan and had been dropped or placed there at least a year ago. Magmus took the box immediately after realizing its relation to fire -- obsidian can only be made by the liquid fire underneath the earth's surface. Perhaps he saw it as an offering from the Red God.

With dusk nearing its end, the group decided to set up camp in the same area. Following the brash precepts of the Red God, Magmus lit the nearest conifer aflame and began to meditate under it. The blaze could clearly be seen miles away in the pitch of night, and of course any passersby would notice the glow above the tops of the trees. A few hours into their slumber, four armed horsemen and two squires afoot confronted the adventurers. The leader scolded Magmus for defiling the wood that was their territory. After settling into a passive conversation, the leader explained that they rode south from the nearby town of Holtum. Perhaps it was fate that the riders came across them whilst tracking down Magmus' fiery beacon for the horsemen were in dire need of assistance. The nearby farms had been raided by goblin troops and the town of Holtum itself has had to fend off larger gangs. With only a handful of men-at-arms and the four horsemen, designated defenders of the village, the town has been struggling to survive the raids. The horsemen have asked to camp with them for the night and escort them back to Holtum so that the adventurers could talk to their chief.

Episode 1: "Bluebells at the Forest Goblin Hideout"
Date: AB 1355, June 4-5

The morning came upon them cool and bright and the smell of dew and pine hung in the air. The horseman who called himself Erick pleaded with the travelers to head north with him to the town of Holtum and speak with his father about the goblin raids. Ten miles north up the Conifer Road lay the small hamlet that had been struggling to defend itself against the small monsters. While Erick insisted that his intent was true, Vistra and Callie were slow to gain his trust. Three of the horsemen decided to ride ahead and tell Garthick, the leader of the town, of the strangers who might help them.

After three hours of marching up the winding path, the town opened up amid the encroaching forest. A few small wooden buildings with thatched roofs made the bulk of the town, and a larger hall in the center could only have been where the leader resided. Erick led the group inside the large hall where a heavy musk filled the air and the dim torchlights gave off a solemn glow. The light hardly touched the large figure sitting in an old wicker throne. A crown of old branches covered his head and a large black beard shrouded his face. In a soft and troubled voice, he welcomed the adventurers and pleaded for them to search for the goblin hideout. His scouts had reached the top of the Boulder Ridge a day past and spied a stream of smoke rising from the further distant Cluda Hills. The scouts had guessed that this may be where the goblins were hidden, or perhaps the location of another raid. Either way, it was their best clue they had. Garthick's scouts were better trained in combat and less in tracking. After several questions from Callie concerning the legitimacy of Garthick's plea and the location of the goblin raiders, the group decided to help Garthick by finding the goblin hideout and rooting out the monsters who have been pillaging the nearby farmlands.

Without further delay, the group set off to the northeast toward the Boulder Ridge so that they might see what Garthick's scouts had allegedly seen. Roughly five miles outside of Holtum, the party was ambushed by a couple of goblins hiding in the trees. After quickly taking one down, Grolar thought to question the other, but Celest dispelled that thought quickly enough with an arrow through the second goblin's chest, killing the creature. The group determined that the two goblins were just back from some raid, judging by their beaten bodies and tattered clothing. Within a few hours, they came upon the Little River, where they were attacked by a giant crab. Grolar managed to punch his fist straight through the creature, and the party was left to determine how to cross the swollen river. While it might've been deep, the water wasn't moving terribly fast. Vistra guessed that perhaps the goblins had some sort of underground tunnel that they were using to pass the river.

After backtracking south into the woods, Callie was able to easily track the two goblins they had killed and followed them back to the river. There, they found a small raft with a rope tied round a large tree on the far end. After taking some time to pull themselves across the river, Callie also managed to lead her horse through the water. Only an hour more and the forest opened up to the Cluda Hills, where Magmus decided to set a tree ablaze to lure some goblins out of their cave, wherever that may have been. The plan worked well, and the group was able to catch a couple of goblins and hobgoblins unawares in a quick and bloody battle. The tracks these creatures left led Callie and the others to a large meadow full of bluebells (see the notes for more about bluebells). Behind the bluebells where a large ridge jutted up from the ground, a small opening in the rocks led to what could only have been the goblins' hideout.

The adventurers delved inward, with Vistra taking point due to her ability to see in the dark, and Grolar close behind, shrouded in a sheath of flame summoned by Magmus. The rest followed into the depths. There, they came across two giant centipedes chained to the walls which they quickly dispatched. They seemed to have been pets, trained perhaps by the goblins. Deeper within, the winding tunnels of the hideout opened up to a large cavern with a murky pool within. Whilst inspecting its contents, both Grolar and Magmus were surprised by two giant snakes that quickly attempting to constrict each hero. Grolar managed to dodge the first constrictor but Magmus' life was squeezed out of him. On the verge of death, Celest healed him through magical means. After regaining consciousness, the constrictor again crushed him, and he fell unconscious, teetering between the realm of mortals and the afterlife. Yet again, Celest healed the fallen companion, and the others managed to slay the beasts. Magmus, twice lucky to be alive, lit a handful of ball bearings and threw them into the pool, revealing a sunken chest. Grolar swam down and discovered a handful of coins and two vials of fluorescent blue liquids that smelled of mint.

Here, the adventurers stopped to decide whether to rest, continue deeper into the hideout, or retreat for the time being.

Notes: The adventurers have been reluctant to help the town of Holtum, seeing it primarily as a distraction from their primary purpose: to find their Matron. When Magmus had meditated for the night, his thoughts were drawn toward his obsidian box, which he called the Demonglass Case. When he next opened it, the box was bursting full of bluebells.

Episode 2: “Fires in the Dark”
Date: AB 1355, June 5

Damp air choked the cavern as the adventurers sought respite from the battles before and the battles ahead. An hour passed and they continued ever deeper into the Forest Goblin Hideout. Vistra proved to be an invaluable member of the group since she both spoke the goblinoid language of Nihtgengena and had the wits to use confuse her enemies. When the group snuck up on a larger group of goblins, Vistra spoke in their language from the shadows, convincing the creatures that they were being summoned by their leader deeper in the caves.

After the goblins shuffled out, the heroes came in and followed their tracks through winding tunnels. Within a hundred feet, they came upon a glowing firelight coming from around a corner. Again, Vistra used her best goblin voice to convince the creatures within to come around the corner. The leader himself, fed up with the insolence of whomever Vistra was pretending to be, came thundering through the tunnels. The hobgoblin chief was easily twice the size of his goblin underlings and thrice as fierce. He carried a long spear and wore ringed mail. As he strutted around the corner, Callie loosed a bolt from her crossbow that struck the beast in the chest but did not put him down. His grunt alerted a dozen others, and soon several goblins, hobgoblins, and one bugbear shuffled through the narrow earthen corridors.

Magmus splayed his fingers and a sudden burst of flame emanating from his hands engulfed the three nearest goblins. As their bodies burned, their tattered leathern armor caught ablaze, forming a wall of fire that blocked the path of the following goblinoids. Several shrieked in fear of the elf’s sorcerous display and ran in the opposite direction, deeper through the tunnels. Still, the bugbear and the chieftain persisted until they were slain by Grolar, Vistra, and Callie. Whilst pursuing the goblins through the labyrinthine tunnels, the adventurers came across a goblin child, whimpering into a small rag. It appeared as if he had been left behind by others in their frantic flee. As Celest and Callie decided what to do with the poor child, Grolar unflinchingly smashed the boy's skull into the earthen walls and let the whelp's life burst out in bits and chunks. They continued to pursue the rest of the goblins, with Callie taking point and tracking their prints.

Notes: The morality of a few characters are put into question by their actions. Grolar seems to be struggling with his inner beast and also appeared to be influenced somewhat by Magmus. Magmus' obsession with fire and his Red God seem to always take precedent in whatever actions he takes. The others seem to be fairly level-headed people so far.

Episode 3: "The Trees Bleed Black Ash"
Date: AB 1355, June 5-7

Still deep within the Forest Goblin Hideout, Callie and the others continued in their pursuit of the remaining goblins as well as finding their way out of the labyrinthine series of tunnels. With Grolar scrawling an extremely rudimentary map, most of the others continued to rely on Callie's tracking ability to lead them out.

After wending their way through the tunnels, the adventurers found a crudely hidden earthen door. When Grolar punched a hole through it, an airy wave of filth and decay flooded out from the blackened interior. Assuming it was some sort of dungeon for captives, Magmus and Grolar began digging their way through. Just at that time, they heard a whistling echoing down the tunnels. Unsure of what that could be, Callie, Celest and Vistra went deeper into the tunnels to explore. A faint voice soon thereafter shouted, "Die you goblin scum!" and the clash of steel on steel rattled the walls. In the meantime, both Grolar and Magmus managed to break their way through the earthen wall, which led to a wide room with several small alcoves, each with their own pile of filth and decay. It seemed as though some creature or creatures here had died and rotted, but it was unclear as to who or how. Beneath one of the piles of rot, Magmus found a small chest containing fifteen hundred coins and seven vials of varying, unknown liquids.

As the others crept closer to the sound of battle, they found a man clad in black chain mail, wielding a great flanged mace in two hands smashing at a slew of goblins who had surrounded him. Immediately, Callie loosed a bolt from her crossbow and Celest, still in her panther form, slunk along the walls and behind crystalline columns. Vistra was caught slightly off guard and was slow to react to the ensuing battle. However, it was the mysterious man in black armor who delivered the most damage. As the goblins clamored around his feet, he smashed down with his great mace, delivering an unearthly clap of thunder with his blow. The goblins fell before his smashes or fled down the winding tunnels.

By the time Magmus and Grolar made their way to meet up with the others, the battle was already finished. The dark warrior made little attempt to reveal himself. He only called himself the Obsidian Knight. While enemies of enemies may be friends in the midst of battle, that initial comradery quickly wore off when the final goblin fell. Callie trained her crossbow at the knight's chest as she questioned him thoroughly on his intents and reasons as to why he was in this maze. After quickly explaining that he was there to root out the goblins that plagued the land, the others reluctantly allowed him to accompany them for the time being as they found their way out of the tunnels.

Shortly thereafter, Vistra and Celest managed to sneak up on a handful of hobgoblins and slaughter many of them before they had any true chance to react. The rest of the adventurers filed into the room and took care of any remaining stragglers. After following through the tunnels further and further, both Callie's tracking skills and Vistra's innate knowledge of underground areas finally led them outside to the familiar bluebell meadow. Exhausted from the hours spent within the hideout, the group decided to rest atop the Cluda Hills for the night. Before they set up camp, however, they noticed a large plume of black smoke rising off in the southeast, likely where the town of Holtum lay. They decided that it would be best to abandon their mission to Garthick and head further north in search of their matron. That night, as per his ritual, Magmus lit a tree aflame, lighting it up as a beacon to his Red God that could be seen for miles around. The next morning, the adventurers set off due north in search of any sign of the matron. After several hours of trudging through the dense wood upon foot and horseback, they spotted yet another black plume rising to the northeast.

After heading in the direction of the dark cloud, Celest and Callie both noticed something odd about the wood surrounding them. In the distances, they noticed strange subtleties with the branches of each tree. The shapes would shift slightly to something rather unnatural, whether that be a perfectly carved cylinder, a square rod, a bow. The shadows about them seemed off as well. Upon closer inspection, the strange shapes seemed to revert back to their natural form, revealing nothing but an ordinary branch on a soldier pine. However, after cutting one of the branches open, the tree bled a thick black ash. After a few more observations and experimentation with this strange occurrence, Magmus set one of the trees ablaze but found nothing strange with the way it burned. Over the next few hours, an overwhelming sense of the uncanny washed over them like a shadow that couldn't be seen. Several more hours passed as the heroes made their way toward the second black plume. Eventually they found a small town that had been incinerated almost completely. Whole houses and structures were burnt to ash yet still stood upright. Grolar inspected one of the houses and noticed that only the wood had burned. Other flammables such as cloth had been untouched. But at the slightest touch of the walls, the building crumbled into a massive mound of ash.

The town itself rested under the shadow of wide cliff looming a hundred feet above on the eastern side. A tower rose above the top of the cliff, a solitary sentinel made of stone, untouched by the mysterious blaze. Celest took the shape of an owl to fly up and inspect the tower. To help with her search, Magmus gave her his trusty flame-cat familiar. With the cat in her talons, Celest flew atop the tower and found nothing strange about its appearance. It seemed uninhabited but that didn't necessarily mean it was. Fifty feet beyond the tower, more trees sprouted up. After quickly investigating the tower, she and the familiar flew into the woods only to spot a handful of elves not far beyond the tree line. With a closer look, they were clad in leathern armor, wielding bows and swords and other weapons, and were standing stiff as statues. Their stoic appearance was only marred by the look of absolute dread in their eyes, each pair focused upon the unassuming tower, not noticing the owl swooping past them.

Notes: Despite joining the group, the mysterious Obsidian Knight continuously reminds them that he is not part of their group. The vials of liquid that Magmus found seem to have varying magical properties, but he hasn't yet spent time to determine what they are.

Episode 4: "Into the Undertunnel"
Date: AB 1355, June 7

Once Celest came back down the cliff to explain the situation to the others, the group decided that there must be a secret entrance somewhere in the cliff -- a way to easily get to the top. Alas, it was not meant to be after an hour of searching came up fruitless. Deciding it best to climb the cliff instead of trudging for what could have been miles to the north or south just to see this tower. With the proper climbing equipment, including hempen rope, pitons, hammers, boot tips, gloves and the like, the heroes set forth to climbing the hundred feet up the sheer cliff face. With everyone linked together, even if one should fall, the others should be able to hold them up. This way of thinking proved to be useful as Magmus and Callie had fallen multiple times, only to be held up by the strength and expertise of Grolar and Vistra. (more to come soonish... maybe never)

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Campaigns: Slaadi Invasion | Northern Strife | Heroes & Traitors | Hollows | Black as Pitch |  |

Black as Pitch: Matron's Prayer