The Tower – fantasy adventure hook

Montrose is a small, peaceful town in a mountainous region. For years, it struggled to just survive while hostile gnoll tribes assaulted the region. That all changed three years ago when a necromancer named Garruda moved to the area and offered to help the townsfolk. In return for the use of their graveyard, the necromancer offered to help protect the town. With the townsfolks’s blessing, he raised their dead as zombies and set them to guarding the approaches to the town. The gnoll raiders were taken by surprise and driven off. The necromancer then ordered the zombies to aid in the harvesting, working the mines and tilling of the fields. Since then, Montrose has become a picture of benevolent necromantic rule with zombies performing the most dangerous and difficult jobs around the town. The town even imported a few corpses from other towns which brought it to the attention of the Valor Council, a group dedicated to improving the world.

Disturbed at the positive message that Garruda was spreading, the Valor Council dispatched the heroes to the site to ensure nothing more sinister was occurring. Necromancers rarely aid others, so they suspected he had ulterior motives beyond gaining control of the small valley. By speaking to the townsfolk, they can uncover a tendency for lone travelers and homeless to go missing. They also discover that Garuda has also offered to spread his protection to other areas after a series of raids destroyed isolated homes and villages in the nearby area. If they investigate the wilderness around the town, the heroes hear cries of panic. They discover that a group of children from Montrose were sledding in the snow-covered hills between the town and Garruda’s tower when the ground gave way. Susan, one of the children, fell into the tunnel which is quite steep and disappeared from view. The remaining children ask the heroes to rescue their friend.

If the heroes descend into the tunnel, they find it is extremely slick and descent is far easier than ascent. The first tunnel leads to spot where several other tunnels join where a small figure lies apparently dead upon the tunnel floor. This impression is incorrect as the figure is actually a subterrainean creature known as a druagr and he is actually asleep. If the heroes examine him, they wake him and he claims that he hasn’t seen anyone all day. He further claims that he lives alone in these tunnels. Neither statement is true. If they examine him, they discover he is wearing the boy’s shoes. If confronted, he confesses that he did see the boy and take his shoes, but didn’t otherwise hurt him. The boy descended down another tunnel after that to avoid him. He knows of an enormous snake-like man who also lives in the tunnels, but refuses to talk about it. He even declares as long as the snake doesn’t bother him, he avoids it in turn. Any attempts to kill the druagr automatically succeed. The additional tunnels lead to the graveyard, necromancer’s tower, a nearby quarry and other locations.

Allow the heroes to continue after the boy. They discover another area of joining tunnels, though this one is much closer to the surface and contains a pile of bones (a mixture of animal and human). One of the bodies is actually fairly fresh and appears to have dropped from above. A trapdoor in the roof leads up to a flagstone in an alley off the main plaza. This naked body is a Rogar, a young man roughly 15 years old, and bears signs that it was stabbed with a triangular blade multiple times. Investigation reveals that the victim lived with his mother a few streets over from the alley with the trapdoor. Personable heroes can discover that he’d had several run-ins with Farth, a local bully who lived on the alleyway.

Farth has recently shown signs of gaining wealth and physical power lately. Merchants noticed that he’s been purchasing some strange herbs and items for exorbitant prices over the past few weeks and he’s also exhibited strength greater than a normal man. Searching Farth’s home reveals signs of violence (blood splatter upon the wall, bloody triangular knife, Rogar’s folded clothing). There are numerous flasks containing a strange alchemical mixture which explodes if jostled strongly. If questioned Farth claims Rogar was stealing his knife, tripped and stabbed himself. If attacked, he throws the flasks which each explode for medium magical damage, but there is a 1 in 6 chance per flask used within the house that it starts a chain reaction that destroys the house. Farth is a bully and believes himself extremely powerful. However, if the heroes question Farth, he admits that his wealth and physical prowess were gifts from a new patron. In exchange, he hunts animals and dumps them down the trapdoor for his patron, a snake-like monster which creates and dwells in the tunnels below. He says that the snake is actually intelligent and possesses strong magical powers. He also claims Garruda is just a figurehead for the snake who grants power and magic to both Farth and the necromancer. Both bring him bodes, preferably alive for him to devour. Farth delivered Rogar as a fresh meal, the first time he provided a human, though he claims Garruda does so frequently.

The heroes may descend into the tunnels and search for the snake. When they get near the tower, they again meet the druagr who advises them to avoid the snake. While they speak, the snake arrives and attacks the heroes. If the battle is going too easily, Garruda joins the battle against the heroes. Perceptive heroes will notice the snake doesn’t attack the druagr, in fact it responds to his hand signs. The truth is that the snake is only as intelligent as a trained dog. The true necromancer is the druagr who uses the snake as a figurehead using ventriloquism in his dealing with Farth and Garruda. The devastating raids were the druagr’s acts as well. After defeating the gnolls with his zombies and magic, the druagr took control of them and directed them against the isolated areas. Now, he plans to eliminate the heroes and spread his control over the entire area. Garuda is a medium level necromancer with low physical power. Farth is a medium level fighter with inhuman strength and toughnessSnake is a medium level creature with extremely high strength and toughness as well as the minor psychic ability.Zombies are weak undead.Gnolls are weak to medium level goblinoids.