 |  Under Cover of Night |
A scenario designed for Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay, but which can easily be adapted to suit any late medieval fantasy setting.
Standing lost and alone on an isolated stretch of road, in the midst of a dense and forbidding wood, is a run-down and long-abandoned coaching inn, the Hunters Moon. Ideally, this should be a rarely used route between two towns, upon which the PCs inevitably find themselves travelling. Precise details are left up to individual GMs to determine. The nature of this scenario should allow it to be located along any narrow woodland road in The Empire.
As the PCs ride or walk along the overgrown road, impress upon them the intensely claustrophobic atmosphere of the wood, its pervading gloom, and the total absence of other travellers on the road. Build this up gradually, as the players discuss their last adventure, or plans for the future. As they move further into the wood, they become steadily aware of their isolation, and the sense that there is something unnatural about the place. Perhaps one of the players recalls overhearing a tale in the last village they visited, telling of a gentle woodsman driven mad by whispering voices from the wood: it is said that he still roams the woods to this day, any traces of his humanity lost forever to the dark spirit of the wood.
The day should pass without major incident, though feel free to add the occasional occurrence such as swooping bats, dancing spirit lights, faint voices, and of course the irresistible feeling of being watched. The players should be thoroughly on edge by the time you inform them that they will not make it to the other side of the wood before nightfall. The canopy of leaves blocks out the sun, but characters with wilderness experience will be aware that it is some time in early evening. They are fatigued, and will have to look for somewhere to make camp soon.
As the darkness deepens, a small human figure darts from the undergrowth to the right of the PCs, dashing across their path only yards from the lead character. A few minutes later the figure appears again, this time in front of the most brightly or extravagantly dressed person, pausing just long enough for them to get a good look at him before diving back into the cover. Any attempts to follow the boy into the undergrowth will always fail, he knows the area too well.
The boy is around ten years old, a little over four feet tall, wiry, covered in dirt and grime, with a thick mop of dark brown hair, large inquiring eyes and an impish grin. He wears only a ragged loincloth of deerskin, and a blue-green stone in the shape of a teardrop on a thong around his neck.
The boy gets progressively bolder, moving amongst the PCs, but always retreating if they try to grab him. Initially he should be a curiosity, but as he gains in confidence he can really begin to annoy the players. Have him snatch an item from one of them: a colourful handkerchief, a water bottle, a lucky charm. He could also knock a hat off with a stick, throw stones at the toughest looking character, grab a money purse, anything you can think of to wind the players up.
The purpose of this encounter is to aggravate the players as much as possible, so that eventually one of them snaps and lashes out at the boy. Pick on the most short-tempered player if you have to, and drive them mad with this infuriating little waif who always manages to evade their grasp. If they refuse to rise to the bait, have the lead character's horse rear up and strike the boy. However it happens, the moment the boy is hit it seems that the whole world stops. A strangling silence grips the wood, making the players feel very alone.
Suddenly the boy lets out a deafening, spine-chilling screech, a piercing primal sound that grows and echoes in the trees on all sides of the PCs. They become aware of a hundred hostile eyes shining brightly in the darkness, and a very real fear that the wood is closing in on them. The boy has vanished, but the screeching continues uninterrupted, spooking the horses and requiring a test of riding skill to avoid being thrown.
The players would be well advised to act swiftly at this point. They have stumbled across the territory of a reclusive group known locally as the auslanders, a hermitic community driven to madness by years of battling chaos spawn deep within their woodland home (see Appendix), and who have a tendency to act first and not bother asking any questions at all. Unless they run immediately, the PCs will find themselves under attack from all directions. The single high-pitched screech disseminates into countless individual war-cries, as black shafted arrows and spears burst from the trees in a swarm. None of the PCs should be harmed by this first volley, though a spear might land dangerously close, and arrows strike saddlebags or pierce a favourite hat. Anyone who fails to act now, however, will be overcome by the wave of rabid auslander warriors which pour from the trees and give chase to fleeing PCs.
The chase should by run as frantically as possible. There is no time to think or plan, and anyone who risks a glance over their shoulder is in danger of falling off their horse, which would mean certain death.
You can add extra spice to the chase by having a small number of auslanders emerge from the trees ahead of the PCs, blocking their path. The hail of arrows and spears also continues, and it is likely that most PCs and horses will sustain some kind of injury. A lone warrior could even manage to leap from a tree onto the back of a PCs horse, which would make for an interesting fight. Low branches, fallen logs, and panicking animals can add further confusion, if you feel it is needed.
Chaos rules in this encounter. It is every PC for himself, and you should emphasise the real possibility that they might not actually make it. Have the auslanders get perilously close at one point (they are remarkably swift runners!), before the PCs burst into a twilit clearing and see through panic-stricken eyes their salvation: the Hunter's Moon coaching inn. They just have time to race through the open gates and heave them shut as one last volley hammers into the weather-beaten timbers. Then, as dramatically as it had all begun, all is silent.
This tatty old building has certainly seen better days. Given up as a business concern over three years ago, it has fallen into a very poor state of disrepair. Most of the windows are broken, there are gaping holes in the roof, paintwork is filthy and patchy, and much of the woodwork is rotten. The place creaks worryingly in the wind, and has an eerie emptiness to it.
In fact, the Hunter's Moon is not empty, though the PCs will not realise that immediately, as they will still be recovering from the chase. Anyone peering outside now will see nothing. The auslanders have vanished, though the sense of being watched is stronger than ever. The gates and surrounding fence are covered in a scattering of spears and arrows.
Inside, a dim flickering light can be discerned from the ground floor of the main building, while a horse whinnies uneasily in the stables. The main areas of the inn are as follows:
1. The outer wooden fence stands seven feet high, though it is badly damaged and rotten in many places. The gates are sturdy, even though one hangs on a single hinge.
2. The courtyard is neglected and overgrown. It has an eerie, graveyard feel to it, but there is nothing of interest here.
3. It is from the bar-room that the dim light emanates. Anyone approaching will be challenged by a strong and authoritative female voice. Once it is clear that the PCs have no hostile intent, they will be admitted. Inside are two men and a woman, who replaces the table which bars the door as soon as the PCs enter. A small fire gutters weakly in the large hearth.
The woman is a roadwarden, Krisztina, on her way to delivering her prisoner, the haggard, strongly built man named Haugen, who is manacled to the central post. The other man is Lycaon, a smartly dressed and well-spoken elven gentleman who introduces himself as a minstrel. He carries a mandolin. More on these individuals, who may prove invaluable allies in the night ahead, can be found in the Appendix.
4. Kitchens. Untidy, with pots and pans scattered over the floor, an upturned table and a broken shelf.
5. Food stores. Only empty crates and sacks. Any supplies which remained when the inn was abandoned have long since disappeared.
6. Main dormintary. Eight empty beds in poor repair. The west wall is badly rotted and the southern section of the roof leaks.
7. Brewhouse. Two casks of foul-tasting ale stand in the corner.
8. Workshop and smithy. A collection of rusty but serviceable tools and a modest supply of materials. A skilled individual may find something of use here; use your discretion in deciding whether particular requirements can be met.
9. Coach house. Usually able to hold three coaches, it has stood empty for some time now. It is damp and musty, and a disturbing growth of fungus smothers the north east corner. It is a large patch of red mould, and anyone making a thorough search of the building runs the risk of releasing its blinding spores.
10. Stables. The roadwarden's frightened horse can be found here. The stables are badly rotten, and creak ominously in the wind.
11. Small Dormitary. The first floor is in an even worse state than below. The stairs are decidedly unsafe, the roof leaks through gaping holes in a number of places, and the numerous broken windows and missing boards make it cold and damp. The small dorm holds five beds.
12. Landlord's bedroom. A large room, the furniture has been piled up into a corner to form the appearance of a child's play camp. Closer inspection reveals an unlikely inhabitant: Nasrok, a frightened and hungry goblin scout. Separated from his companions when they were attacked by the auslanders five days ago, Nasrok has been holed up here ever since, not daring to venture outside. When the others arrived earlier today, he concealed himself here and hoped no-one would find him.
Nasrok is not inherently evil, and could be of use if the PCs can overcome their initial revulsion. For more details see the Appendix.
13. Five guest bedrooms. Bedroom 1 contains a large web and a dozen venomous spiders; under the bed in Bedroom 4 is an old leather-bound book and a pair of spectacles. The book is a journal left behind by an explorer when the inn was abandoned. It contains brief notes on each area the owner, a woman named Michaela Halmstadt, had visited, including a little about the auslanders (that which is contained within the Appendix should suffice). There is nothing of note in the other rooms.
14. Servants' quarters. One room contains a half-finished love letter, poorly written but sincere, addressed to someone named Annaliese, written on a tatty strip of parchment in a very basic hand, concealed under a broken floorboard. Also with it is a gold ring set with a small sapphire, stolen from one of the guests and which the letter makes reference to as 'a tokin of my love for you alwayes.'
Allow the players time to recover from the chase, so that they can explore the old inn, meet the current residents, and perhaps attempt to make the inn more secure. The real action should not begin until around midnight, by which time the characters should be very tired, and the players should believe, or at least hope, that the danger has passed.
It is up to you as to precisely how you choose to run the siege. Try to build the situation gradually, beginning with isolated incidents involving only one or two auslanders, and progressing during the course of the night to a full scale assault from all directions. Slowly but irresistibly shrink the characters' safe space, until they are left with a single room in which to make their last stand (probably the bar).
By the time morning arrives the players should feel that their situation is a hopeless one, and that it is just a matter of time before they are overrun. Take fatigue into account, making characters test regularly to avoid succumbing to tiredness, and impose penalties due to loss of concentration and co-ordination; and don't allow separated characters to consult with each other, unless they want to reveal their location to the auslanders.
Here are some suggested incidents that you may like to use during the night:
By the time sunrise eventually arrives, any remaining characters should be on the verge of collapse. At this point, when it seems that the auslanders are about to close in for the kill, the area becomes inexplicably silent. The wave of auslanders pouring into the room seems to dry up. Any not directly involved in melee simply retreat as swiftly as they arrived.
As thin strips of morning sunlight pierce the canopy of leaves, anyone venturing outside the inn will discover that the attack has been suddenly and dramatically halted. The warriors seem to vanish back into the trees from which they came.
The players will no doubt be confused by this change of fortune, and will wonder what has caused the auslanders to retreat into the woods. Let them wonder. Perhaps they feel that revenge has been satisfied, or that the courageous defenders deserve a certain respect, some last vestige of thier humanity briefly resurfacing. Maybe they have fled from the sunrise, and could return later to resume the attack, or could they be waiting even now, drawing the PCs out in order to finally finish them off? The explanation is up to you, but the important thing is to keep the players guessing even at the end. In fact, it's probably better if you don't actually decide why the attack was called off, so that it remains a total mystery that can never be explained.
Krisztina Schenck, Roadwarden.
| M | WS | BS | S | T | W | I | A | Dex | Ld | Int | Cl | WP | Fel |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 | 54 | 47 | 5 | 4 | 9 | 45 | 2 | 31 | 42 | 28 | 36 | 34 | 25 |
Skills: Ride - Horse; Street Fighter; Strike Mighty Blow; Strike to Stun
Possessions: Crossbow & 12 Bolts; Horse; Saddle & Harness; Rope - 10 yards; Shield; Sleeved Mail Shirt; Sword; Dagger; Manacles & Key; 2 GC
Tall and powerfully built, muscular, with short cropped tawny hair, Krisztina is a thorough and dedicated protector of the highways. She is very stern and serious, and has learnt that it is dangerous in her profession to trust strangers. Having tracked the man Haugen for several months, she is determined that he be delivered to the next town for trial, and will be annoyed that the PCs have incurred the wrath of the auslanders, as she has heard (largely false) stories about their violent behaviour. However, she is a useful fighter, a match for the toughest PC, and carries a well-used broadsword, an axe, and a sack of supplies including rations, waterskin, rope, and tinderbox. She does not trust Lycaon, and watches him carefully.
Boris Haugen, Wanted Criminal.
| M | WS | BS | S | T | W | I | A | Dex | Ld | Int | Cl | WP | Fel |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 | 56 | 21 | 5 | 6 | 11 | 49 | 2 | 27 | 24 | 37 | 44 | 23 | 21 |
Skills: Street Fighter; Strike Mighty Blow; Strike to Stun; Strike to Injure; Dodge Blow
Possessions: None
Krisztina's prisoner does not say much, preferring to stare menacingly at the PCs when they enter. When he does speak he is slow and thoughtful, his voice like wading through gravel. He is wanted for the murder of a farming family he was staying with in a nearby town, and looks capable of killing again if given the chance. Moody and with a vicous temper, Haugen is a formidable warrior, and will ask to be unshackled when the auslanders attack, so that he can aid in the defence of the inn.
Krisztina will refuse, and unless the players can persuade her otherwise they will lose a valuable ally. Haugen has a strong sense of honour, and will not break his word. He loves to fight and to kill, and if given a weapon will defend the inn with a frightening tenacity and zeal that belies his unremarkable physique.
Lycaon, Wood Elf Thief.
| M | WS | BS | S | T | W | I | A | Dex | Ld | Int | Cl | WP | Fel |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 | 49 | 57 | 3 | 3 | 8 | 67 | 1 | 58 | 35 | 51 | 46 | 39 | 55 |
Skills: Concealment - Urban; Silent Move - Rural/Urban; Scale Sheer Surface; Pick Pocket; Pick Lock; Musicianship - Mandolin; Sing; Seduction; Specialist Weapon - Fencing Sword
Possessions: Rapier; Dagger; Bow & 8 Arrows; Expensive clothes; Mandolin; 3GC
The elf is elegant and refined, and most readily accepts the PCs when they first arrive. Never short of a story or song, he adores the sound of his own lyrical voice, with its affected upper class accent, and will attempt to use his considerable charm on any female PCs present (he has tried to seduce Krisztina, without success). Armed with a fencing sword, dagger, and exquisitely carved bow, Lycaon proudly boasts of his martial prowess, and is capable of holding his own in a fight. However, he has no intention of dying here, and will take the first opportunity to flee. He has no qualms about deserting the others. In addition, he will endeavour to filch any valuable items he can from the PCs' belongings before he departs. If caught, he will attempt to wound his captor before fleeing. Once outside, he will not get far before he is cut down screaming for mercy by the ruthless auslanders.
Nasrok, Goblin Scout.
| M | WS | BS | S | T | W | I | A | Dex | Ld | Int | Cl | WP | Fel |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 | 28 | 31 | 3 | 2 | 6 | 34 | 1 | 26 | 18 | 23 | 19 | 14 | 17 |
Skills: Dodge Blow; Concealment - Rural; Silent Move - Rural; Scale Sheer Surface
Possessions: Long Knife (treat as short sword) +1 damage
Cunning, adept and agile, the goblin can be a useful lookout, if the players are prepared to trust him. He will react with suspicion to begin with, will steer well clear of any PC dwarfs, and is clearly afraid of Lycaon, but he can be persuaded that co-operation is in his interests. He wears ragged clothing, including a dirty black headband, has a zig-zag pattern tattooed around his left bicep, and is small and scrawny even for a goblin. He carries a well-crafted, kris bladed long knife, with a black and silver grip and the words 'Strength Through Wisdom' engraved on the hilt; he also has a pouch containing a handful of sour berries that resemble cherries, which he is reluctant to share. Nasrok is frightened of the auslanders, and will be willing to aid the PCs in return for their protection. His primary aim, however, is to get as far away from the inn as he can as soon as he feels it is safe.
The Auslanders.
Typical Auslander
| M | WS | BS | S | T | W | I | A | Dex | Ld | Int | Cl | WP | Fel |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 | 45 | 43 | 3 | 3 | 8 | 37 | 1 | 34 | 28 | 31 | 38 | 34 | 26 |
Skills: Concealment - Rural; Silent Move - Rural; Fleet Footed; Prepare Poisons
Possessions: Spear; Bow & Arrows; Long Knife
The small group of wilderness warriors that attack the Hunters Moon are known to locals as auslanders, though few are aware of the truth behind their sad tale. For generations, a small community consisting of three tiny hamlets existed in virtual isolation from the outside world, deep within these woods. Hunters and farmers, they were entirely self-sufficient, and were only rarely encountered by outsiders. But as the presence of beastmen in the woods increased, they found themselves waging a seemingly endless war just to survive. Too proud to call upon their neighbours for help, they continued to battle the minions of chaos for years, their numbers steadily dwindling, but their unseen efforts doing much to slow the onset of chaos forces in the area.
However, years of fighting in isolation have begun to take its toll. With their numbers cut significantly, inbreeding has led to occasional incidents of madness in their young, while a lifetime of fighting has had a disturbing effect on even the hardiest warriors. Their old lives have long been forgotten, and most know nothing other than fighting. While not aggressive to such an extent that they would attack a nearby town, they remain far too insular, they have developed a collective paranoia concerning all outsiders who enter and therefore threaten their home. Furthermore, regular contact with creatures of chaos has resulted in certain physical changes being manifested in around 10% of the auslanders. So far these have been relatively innocous mutations, such as fur, claws, fanged teeth, hardened skin, obesity and abnormal thinness, but a few have also developed tails, tentacles and other obviously bestial features.
Ruddy skinned, with dark hair and bright coloured eyes that glow in the moonlight, the auslanders dress in skins and furs, and adults seem to favour extensive body tattoos in a wide range of patterns. They employ spears and arrows with blackwood shafts, and have also been known to use poisons of undetermined origin (use the effects of Nightshade on p.82 - any auslander arrow is 50% likely to be coated with one dose, with the effects of multiple hits being cumulative).
The auslanders were once good people, but have since been changed by the harsh nature of their lives to such an extent that very little of their humanity remains. Their behaviour resembles that of pack animals, they fight with ferocity, and they look out for each other. They can't be reasoned with, and though they might deserve pity, they are truly beyond salvation.