JUST KIDDING
I am making my first adventure though. It all started when I showed my wife the spiders in the Monster Manual. Then I said we'd make a character for her to battle them, then I thought, I could make it more fun and give it a story.
The Spider Caves
So the background is (condensed version):
Many Kingdoms, they all fell (or most - whatever) and now we have our "points of light". But many points of light only lasted so long - as evil grew - and grows, it spreads out.
Brookwood was a point of light - for a time. But an Evil grew inside the caves nearby. The Spider Caves - named that by kids that played in there. It wasn't dangerous at first. Kids would dare each other to go in there, etc..
Over time the Spider infestation got worse. Bigger spiders, attacking animals, etc.. Many people left Brookwood. But some refused to move. The spiders dug a tunnel underground underneath the town and attacked from above, they cornered that remaining people. They took refuge in the library (or some other building) and the spiders took their tunnel through the floor.
That is the end of Brookwood. My Wife will play a character with a background connected to Brookwood. She was just a child when a spider attacked her dog, her and her mother moved away. Her father was to come with, but he had to finish something there for a time. He never came home. So her character (and in real life) fears spiders, and hates the spiders of Brookwood. She is coming back after all these years to try to discover the truth, and seek revenge.
I need to add lots of details, but this gives you the idea. So here is what I have so far:
Area 1
there are tiny spiders here crawling in and out of holes along the cave walls.
there is a sleeping bag, torn open, old blood stains and a pack: sunrods, rope, 58 cp, whatever else (this wasn't a safe place to camp)
there are etchings on the cave wall "The Spider Caves" and a echoing of a spider. These were here from the kids that played in here long ago.
There is a tunnel at the end of this room, you have to squeeze through, it's covered in light webs.
Area 2
This room had a river run through it, the people of Brookwood gathered it for special drinks, that were famous for a time. More people have heard of this drink than of the spider attacks. This river is now dried out and may be an entrance for the PC to get into the lower caves. Not sure yet.
Area 3
This is the old spider lair main area. Not sure what to place here. There are tunnels along the walls near the ceiling, too small for you but not for...
Area 4
This is where the Spider nest used to be, until they needed more space and moved deeper into the caves.
Area 5
This is the tunnel they dug to get to the rest of Brookwood
Area 6
This is the building the remaining people tried to hide.
OK, so...
Much of this is the old cave, the spiders don't use these areas much anymore. They may come up once in awhile. I was trying to thing of why though. Maybe the tunnel they dug leads to something the Queen wants. By the time the PC(s) go down the tunnel I thought of blocking the path into the building, they have to break through it, but look, some spiders were trapped in there, and they are hungry. Maybe if you break through quickly, it's a normal battle, but if it takes a few hits, the spiders hide and get a surprise round.
That's all I have planned. This is where I'm stuck.
What monsters would work with spiders? My friend suggested drow. I think it'd be cool if somewhere in the caves is a rift into a part of the feywild. Possibly this is where the original threat came from. I'm thinking a Spider Queen as the boss of it all, but now what would she want? Just to have more babies? I'm not sure, I'm not a spider ;). And what would be in a spider lair anyway. I don't want the adventure to be too short. But how big would a spider lair really need to be?
I was thinking I could have a few tunnels going to different buildings of Brookwood. To add more story possibly, and good places to hide treasure. But how do I reasonably fill them with encounters? I can't "trap" spiders in all the buildings.
I thought of a library because the spiders could be scavenging and they crashed a bookshelf over the hole or something, without the queen to give them new commands, they are confused, they are stupid naturally I would assume.But I need other monsters too. It might get boring with just spiders...
Any ideas or comments?
And my idea to add Drow would be cool. You just have to de-level them. In the DMG, there are stats for spiderwebs as traps, you could use those through the tunnel. You'll need to make up stats for a spider queen, but the asmor page I sent you has scripts that'll help (http://www.asmor.com/scripts.php)The spider queen could have picked brookwood for the people, so that she could lay her eggs in them and hatch an army of children. But if she's sentient, she might have greater ambitions. Brookwood could be the launching point of a greater invasion, once the spider queen can birth enough soldiers.
Any drow involved could be either devoted to the awakened spider, or maybe helping her because their god really like the spiderses. Or, if your players need help, a good Drow follower of Eilistraee could be hunting the spider queen as well and they could team up. (Does Eilistraee even exist in 4e yet? I can't remember if she's a forgotten realms goddess or not.)
Also, an awakened spider queen could dominate slaves from the local population. anyone not suitable as a host (or even some that were! they could explode into a small swarm of spiders when they go down in a fight!) could be charmed into being a soldier or scout. Goblin tribes would be good fodder, as well as providing variety. To show they're charmed, they could have cool spider tattoos on their heads that glow until they die.
Maybe the spider queen is too big to fight alone, and the PCs need to recruit an army of nearby elves that hate Lolth. That could be a roleplaying encounter or skill challenge.
Hope those helped, have fun buddy!
The drow work with all manner of creatures. So if you decide to have the tunnels go to several buildings then you could throw goblins, hobgoblins, kobolds, or orcs in these building (maybe even as guards watching the holes. These four races tame exotic beasts all the time and drow are at one with spiders.
In one of the rooms you could have the players show up and there a powerful drow that looks at the players, turns to a goblin lackey and says, "exterminate this pathetic scum". After that is said the drow leaves the room and the goblins and spiders attack.
So now you have the spiders tide to Lolth and the drow with a tribe/clan of goblins and for some reason they wanted the village removed. Maybe the goblin in charge of the last fight is carrying some notes about something. maybe not the location of the drow but of his clan or were there next attack on the next village is and when.
Alternately, the spider queen could be quite intelligent, and probably is if she's staged such an assault on a town (even one not particularly well defended, still). Perhaps within the library there existed a particular tome of magic that will allow the spider queen greater power, such as being able to transform into human form so she can walk the surface above? This item of power, however, would likely take her some time to figure out given her arachnid form and the likely humanoid construction, hence she's retreated back deeper into the caves until she can puzzle it out, taking her guards and workers with her for the most part.
Also, a single spider's lair may not be particularly large, but with a larger number of spiders would come the need for larger spaces. Perhaps the cave system was previously home to goblins or dwarves or some-such (depending on whether you wanted likely enemies or allies) that the spiders have taken over. If you go this route you could then also throw in skill challenges to convince this other group to join your cause in ridding the caves of spiders...they were originally owned by the goblins/dwarves/etc. so they'd likely want them back. I'd say that for either group a success lends you allies against the spiders who may be able to clear safe passages or some such for you to confront the queen, the goblins being more difficult to entice. Also, on a failure the goblins may decide they don't like either the spiders or YOU being there, thus attacking anything on sight, whereas the dwarves would possibly just not aid you and focus on shoring up their personal defenses against the spider invasion.
I hope this gives you some ideas if nothing else! Talking about it makes me want to throw something similar into my campaign, it's certainly a great starting adventure seed!
Most of the village is deserted, except the Library, the Constabulary, one of the houses, and of course the Inn.
Random encounters in the first trip through the dark and mostly deserted streets should include the following:
1. One of the Library folk, who doesn't have time to talk, but might quickly advise the party to leave town as soon as possible. Follow-up: goes to library and is let inside.
2. Panic-stricken townsperson, babbles incoherently, crazy with fear, before going on his way. Follow-up: goes to a boarded-up house and cowers inside with 2 frightened kids.
3. Creepily polite cop, seeks to allay any fears and directs the party to the Brookwood Inn. Follow-up: continues his patrol, or discretely follows the party, whichever is creepier.
Inside the Library are the only people who know what's going on and who haven't already been subverted. They are researching how to undo the curse. They aren't opening the doors though, because the PC's might be "one of them."
Convincing them otherwise should be a skill challenge and should necessitate going on a first adventure and bringing back (something) as proof that the PC's are "white hats" as the Buffyverse would call them.
The Constable and his men have been turned. They try to convince the PC's that nothing is wrong, and steer them toward the Inn for a pleasant meal and a nice night's sleep. If the PC's cause trouble, the Constable and his men might just arrest them, with similar results to staying in the inn.
If the PC's are arrested, it'll be a good jailbreak complicated by fighting past the spiders to get out.
The inn has a nice tavern downstairs and serves good food (even I wouldn't make the food the problem), but the creepy innkeeper does drug the drinks to make the PC's sleepy. If the party does get rooms for the night, the innkeeper _has_ to say, "good night, sleep tight, don't let the bedbugs bite!"
So yes, the Inn is definitely a nice place for a horrific encounter with the spiders. Have them under the bed, in the closet, wherever is creepiest.
When it does come to blows - which it should at some point in the adventure, I love the idea of when they go down, the corrupted people - innkeeper and his cronies, constable and his men - have a swarm of spiders burst out of them. It could just be horrific and disgusting, or it could mean another battle - against the spider swarm.
There should be 2 Good Guys in the town. The Innkeeper's daughter should be unturned, but terrified of what's happened to her family. She might whisper a warning to the PC's and should almost certainly need rescuing.
There should also be a Newt-like girl who's survived what's happened. She should be able to give them the low-down, from her childlike perspective, and help them escape. But again, she also should need rescuing.
Now that I think about it, both parts could be fulfilled in the same girl.
Finally, on their next pass through the deserted streets, they should meet the crazy townsperson, but this time he's fine. "Nope, nothing wrong here," he says. Because, of course, he's been turned.
I'll leave the caves up to someone else to remark on. It looks like you've got a good general idea of what you want where. I'd have the caves lead to both the Constabulary and the Inn, and there shoule be something that blocks the caves from getting to the Library.
--Introduction--
Brookwood was just a small settlement along a major trade route. As it grew, it's purpose
grew more grand. While still used as a place of trade, it also became a center for settling
disputes - or creating new ones. A Grand Hall was built at the center of the town to better
facilitate it's new purpose. It wasn't long before they needed a Library - knowledge is, of
course, the true power source of a great debtor. Unfortunately, for Brookwood, and the
people that live there, not everyone agreed that it had a purpose at all.
--The Threat--
It is a strange threat. One that has already passed. Is it still a threat? To the children of
Brookwood that survived it's fall it is. It will continue to threaten their minds, constantly
assaulting their dreams. So many spiders! Wave after wave. Where were they all coming from,
and why?
--Hooks--
Children of Brookwood:
Scarred by the events that took place while you were a child, you want to return to face your fears. You left before the major issues happened, but you knew there was a big problem.
Historian's Story:
Very few know the complete story of Brookwood. Your hired by a Historian that wants the full story.
Looking for a Book:
Brookwood was home of many strange books not found most places. Someone knows this and sends you to retrieve one - but it's missing. Perhaps the spiders took it.
Just Walking By:
Your going from Point A to Point B, Brookwood just happens to be along the way. Have spiders break from the ground and attack. If that's not enough, have the spiders steal something from the PCs, a book if possible.
--Brookwood--
“Traveling along this main road, you approach a town. As you get closer, however, you realize
it's abandoned. Ruins everywhere. Great buildings still stand in the center of the town, but
most of the buildings surrounding the town have fallen. You notice a large sign on the ground
with strange burn marks: "Welcome to Brookwood"”
Burn Marks: The burn marks are from spider acid. If you have a reason the PC could tell the
difference between Spider acid and some other type of acid, then by all means reward your
player's odd knowledge. (For example if they lived here before, they know what caused the
attack.) Otherwise it's a DC 10 Dungeoneering Check to notice these are acid burns. Similar
burn marks are on many of the other buildings, with the exception of the Great Hall that was
build out of stone.
--Town Center--
“This town center looks like it was once a great place. There is before you a beautiful Great
Hall. Even in it's fractured state it gives off a sense of awe. There is off to the side
another great building, though less dazzling, and not as big, a library. The library looks
like it was attacked pretty hard. Behind the Great Hall, slightly deeper in the town sits
what looks like a temple. The area spanning the front of the Great Hall looks to be where people would
bring their carts for trading. Many carts have been abandon here, left to fall apart.”
--Side Note: Exploring Brookwood--
The players may want to search the ruins. There is really nothing of value. But simply saying
"You find nothing." is boring. Below is a list of some stuff they can find. Use this as the
perfect place to plant clues to hooks for your future adventures. Also, you can say "You
explore the ruins and find..." But again, this is boring. It's up to you as the DM to make
this ruined town come alive. "You search though the ruins of a collapsed house, the debris are
difficult to walk over. You notice streaks of burn marks across the face of the building. Oh,
look! Somethings underneath the broken pieces of house." The burns are from spiders spitting
acid, so describe it as many ways as you can while they are searching. After awhile, to move
things along, you can say "There seems to be nothing of real value here, after all this
searching you are convinced these building have been looted many times over."
Old Pictures, Broken Plates, Dolls, a Teddy bear, etc., anything else of little value that
would be left behind in an evacuation - but not looted.
Some fun would be having to locate the previous inhabitants of the town wrapped up in spider webs, find them before the spiders feed on the poor souls. Bonus fun: some of the web prisons are traps...
Yeah, people caught that need saved, I'll write that down. It gives me another room for the Spider Queen to have.
I was thinking too, the Spider Queen was once controlled by some drow to do their bidding. But she eventually broke free and caught her captors. She had no real intrest in Brookwood. But was controlled to destroy it. The drow didn't like Brookwood. Brookwood is very political, and had fay-kind working with non-fey kind. They even built a new church the worships a God noone's heard of before. Elfs worshiping something else! How very contrversal!
The drow put a stop to all of that...
But now, what should the Queen do with the drow she captures? And if the PCs save a drow, what then? Are drow a trustable people? Where can I read about Drow?
Imagine that the party is searching through rubble when they are attacked. The creatures that are assaulting them look human but have mandibles, multiple eyes, long thin fingers, feet look like that of an ettercap, and their hair is falling out.
Making a creature like that could help scare your wife. If she is scared of spiders then a spider mutant should be even scarier.
In my campaign a couple centuries back there was a demon invasion through a portal. This invasion and the power it unleashed was actually what caused the Shadowfell to form, and why the elves/eladrin are now two separate races (one having gone over to the Shadowfell to prevent the invasion from that side). The drow were those elves who assisted the demons in their invasion for the promise of power...which never materialized since the demons were repulsed. They were cursed with dark skin and banished into the Underdark. However, just because the original elves were corrupt doesn't mean that younger drow are...they just carry the same curse that their parents did. In this way I hope to have a minor plot line that includes the redemption of some or all of the drow race. *shrug* In the end how your races act and what not is completely up to you!