This adventure takes place in the Highland Marches where the heroes are attending an Ancestral Game, a competition intended to inspire reverence for the older way of life of the people and to train warriors in the arts of war. This adventure assumes the heroes are visitors to these games, but it works equally well if they are actually participants of the games.
Scene 1 A little training goes a long way.
The sun shines brightly down upon the green fields and happy crowds of the Ancestral Games. Pretty maidens dance to sprightly tunes on the pipes and drums while bare chested men stretch their limbs and prepare for the games. A beautiful woman with hair the color of straw and an outfit of vivid green strides among the guests and extols them to step forward for the novice trials.
The woman is Brigid Macmanus, a young noblewoman from nearby Caer Dauberr and the hostess of the games. She is gathering people for the novice trails, the first of the games. She will coax, cajole and use all her wiles to convince the male players to participate. If female characters are present, her brother Brion Macmanus will try to convince them to join as well, though the participants were predominantly male. While the games last 4 days, the first morning is for practice, warm ups and to teach outsiders and the young how the games are played.
The trials are a foot race, a horse race, a hammer throw, a wrestling match and a caber toss. The individual heroes do not need to participate in every challenge, but try to convince at least one to take part in each one. There will be two NPCs in each event. The stats for two contestants are included, but feel free to add additional ones. Brigid Macmanus will explain the rules of each competition just before it begins. The various trials take all morning. The more advanced trials for the experienced competitors begin in the afternoon. One firm rule which Brigid Macmanus has ordered is that weapons are not allowed at the games. Tempers are fierce enough that she wishes to avoid any additional trouble. Likewise, the only mounts at the game are those of the Games itself. It is assumed the heroes mounts are back at their inn.
If the heroes win any of their events without having a rank in that knack, they earn a free rank in it. However, anyone who takes part in one of these challenges without having a rank in that knack, may use that knack as a skilled knack of rank 1 for the rest of the day. Feel free to lengthen any race to three checks using the chase rules or to increase the amount of banter between the contestants.
Brigid Macmanus/Brion Macmanus : Brawn 3, Finesse 3, Wits 3, Resolve 3, Panache 3. Athlete : all knacks at 2, Courtier : all knacks at 2.
Angus McClur : Brawn 4, Finesse 2, Wits 2, Resolve 2, Panache 2. Athlete : all knacks at 2, Throw (Hammer) 3, Throw (Caber) 3. Wrestle : all knacks at 2.
Tom Bozman : Brawn 3, Finesse 3, Wits 3, Resolve 3, Panache 3. Athlete : all knacks at 2. Wrestle : all knacks at 1.
This adventure assumes the existence of two new knacks for the Athlete or Improvised weapon skill : Throw (Hammer) and Throw (Caber).
Match 1 – Footrace – This is a simple sprint. All participants must make a Finesse+Sprinting check. Highest result wins the round.
Match 2 – Horse Race – This is a simple race. All participants must make a Finesse+Ride check. Highest result wins the round.
Match 3 – Hammer Throw – Each participant must twirl a 26 pound hammer around his head three times and hurl it as far as possible. This is a Brawn+Throw(Hammer) roll. Highest result wins.
Match 4 – Wrestling Match – Unlike later competitions, this is a quick match. Two contestants stand before each other in a paced out circle 8 feet apart and both attempt to push the other out of the circle. This is a contested Brawn+Grapple check.
Match 5 – Caber Toss – The final test is the caber toss. The caber is a 20’ long log. Two men pick up the log and the second walks towards the first and lifts up on his end of the log until the first man alone holds one end of the log vertically. He must stagger forward and hurl the log into the air, making it turn end on end and landing straight out from the thrower. This requires a Brawn+Throw(Caber) check. If the result is 20 or higher, the thrower manages to hurl the log successfully but the closer end remains within 5’ of the thrower. If the result is a 25 ore more, the log ends within 10’ of the thrower. If the result is a 30 or more, the log successfully turns end for end and ends 15’ from the thrower. If the result is a 35 or more, the log successfully turns end for end and ends over 25’ from the thrower in a straight line.
Scene 2 What was my prize again?
After the morning’s trials, Brigid returns to Caer Dauberr . Her intention is to collect the prizes for the morning’s trials. These prizes are medallions of bronze emblazoned with runes proclaiming that the wearer possesses true spirit. Unfortunately, she discovers that in her absence, her home has been overrun by a small group of mercenaries who entered via deceit during the Games. They seek a broadsword, a family heirloom, for which the O’Brien clan is willing to pay well. They seize Brigid as soon as she arrives and begin questioning her though she refuses to tell them its location, which is actually on display at the Ancestral Games.
After an hour, Brion begins to worry and asks the heroes to see what is keeping her. Their weapons are still confiscated until the end of the events tonight. The rest of the contestants are preparing for the games while mere novices are not expected to take part in the more advanced games. The heroes arrive to find the small keep closed and locked. They can also see that the O’Dorn flag has been removed and a new flag flies. It bears the mark of Bertram’s Cutters, a known mercenary band (Wits check TN 15). There are no signs of a struggle, but mercenaries are visible on the battlements.
If the heroes approach, they are ordered to leave by the mercenaries on the wall. The mercenaries will not allow anyone to enter and will not explain their purpose here. If the heroes offer to provide the sword, the mercenaries summon Bertram to deal with them. If the heroes look around, they will discover a cache of weapons for use in the Ancestral Games within a wagon outside the manor. There are a score of the 26 pound hammers (heavy weapons in melee combat, Throw (Hammer) in ranged combat) and a half dozen cabers. The first person to suggest using these weapons should receive a drama die.
The ten men (brutes, rank 3, requires an extra raise to hit due to the battlement’s cover and get an additional unkept die to avoid being outwitted) are armed with bows and fencing weapons. There is a moat to cross as well which requires a Finesse+Leaping check (TN 20) or to place a caber across the moat Brawn+Throw(Caber) (TN 25). Breaking through the main gate requires a Brawn check (TN 35) or a successful Brawn+Throw(Caber) (TN 35). Climbing the walls up to the battlements requires an action and a Finesse+Climbing check (TN 20). Bertram and two men are within the keep itself interrogating Brigid. Bertram and his two men will emerge on horseback on the third round of combat or when the last of the brutes falls. The drawbridge will slam down and the three horses will thunder out of the keep. Bertram has Brigid slung over his horse while his two men will attack the heroes.
This begins a chase between Bertram and the heroes. Bertram starts with 0 raises. A hero may enter the keep’s stable and get a horse as an action, but this gives Bertram 3 raises over the hero. If the heroes pursue on foot, Bertram gets 2 raises each round to his riding check. In case of a tie, Brigid wrenches free of Bertram’s grip and falls to the ground. He immediately reins up to recapture her. If the heroes are within 2 raises of him, end the chase and treat it as a normal combat.
If the heroes return to the Games for reinforcements or their weapons, Bertram and his men leave before they can return. They will now need to track the varlet down.
If the heroes successfully rescue Brigid, she is extremely grateful and replaces their bronze medallions with golden ones. She might also reward a handsome rescuer more privately. The heroes should gain 2 experience points and 1 reputation (+1 if they won any of their events during the novice trials and +1 additional reputation is they used weapons from the Ancestral Games during the rescue) for their part in this adventure.
Bertram (Henchman) : Brawn 3, Finesse 3, Wits 4, Resolve 3, Panache 3. Athlete : all knacks at 2, Fencing : all knacks at 3. Courtier Riding and Streetwise : all knacks at 2.
Cutters : 12 Rank 3 brutes, they get an additional unkept die to avoid being outwitted. They are armed with bows and fencing weapons.
