About

Darkness Beyond Hollowridge is an adventure module for the world's most popular roleplaying game. This adventure should span several sessions of play for 4 characters of 6th level. The civilized areas of a deep woodland fight against a corrupting force. Insert this adventure into another campaign world or use it to run a short campaign. 

• two dungeons environments and maps
• fifteen adversary stat blocks
• seven alchemical effects
• three magic items

Overview

The Marsdon Woodland is host to a new cult that works to bring their deity of darkness to power. The cult’s work causes havoc across the forest and within the city of Hollowridge. The characters contend with the cult and its hirelings and goons. Characters will travel from ragtag bandit camps to dangerous caverns that transform around them. Within the heart of the cult’s base, they will fight in the darkness of the deity’s realm to stop the ritual.

Background

The ancient warrior Umbreu wrought destruction across lands thousands of years ago using his intricate knowledge of warfare and personal prowess with a sword to amass wealth and power beyond that of entire kingdoms. As he aged and felt the years press upon him he turned to powerful mages, tasking them with finding him immortality. The mages succeeded in their endeavors, granting Umbreu healing abilities that prevent aging and further enhanced his ability in battle. His newfound healing was thanks to a dark ichor that replaced his blood that worked to pull even the gravest of wounds together and repair any damage to Umbreu. With his regenerative abilities, he redoubled his destructive efforts to collect more wealth, which resulted in his downfall. Because his regenerative powers prevented a simple death, Umbreu was tricked and trapped on a desolate outer plane of existence. There is that dark place, alone he has waited for someone to release him from his prison.

Augustin Hargrace hopes to be the wizard to release Umbreu. Hargrace is an experienced wizard and member of an Orha rebel group fighting for their people’s freedom from the law of another kingdom. Hargrace located Umbreu’s realm after extensive research, digging into the histories and tales of those who imprisoned Umbreu to find where Umbreu was banished. A deal was struck between Umbreu and Hargrace, a spoken agreement of mutual gain. Umbreu is released and is to assist Hargrace until the Orha people get the power they want.

The work has begun in the Marsdon Woodland surrounding the city of Hollowridge. The city is built within a cavern along a ridge and was originally a logging town providing timber for towns further downriver. The founding of Armesteca University changed that. The university is a mix of alchemy and engineering, brewing concoctions and creating novel delivery systems to form new effects. The forest surrounding the university offers a wealth of ingredients and an unusual opportunity for staff and students to forage for themselves. The city of Hollowridge is protected by high walls surrounding the entrances to their cavern, and a well-built keep within a day’s travel home to a small company of knights. The university has changed the face of the city, increasing its size and causing a rift between its rustic beginnings and current intellectualism. While the city has settled into its new function, the evidence of what it once was can still be seen in the old rough timber buildings and industrial functions in the city.

The cult surrounding Hargrace has hired an experienced group of mercenaries to support the cult’s efforts while they work. The Silver Badge mercenaries are led by a rogue named Shock Adder who created the company after his last tour as a soldier. The group is primarily made up of disillusioned former soldiers looking to make coin with their skills. While the Silver Badges are excellent fighters, they are not subtle, so Shock Adder has paid the local bandit clan, the Coyotes, to help with their needs and to give them information on the area.

The Coyotes are a constant fixture within the Marsdon Woodland. Their leader changes often the result of bloody infighting for power and wealth. The current leader, Parr Three Fingers, hasn’t been at the helm for long and operates primarily by instilling fear in those who follow him. These bandits know the woodland well and know how to travel around without the local knights or city watch spotting them. The cult’s home base within the woodland, Otwin’s Holdout, is an old Coyote hideout, abandoned when it was last raided and not returned to since.

Included

• 26 page adventure pdf
• high resolution map images

What's Being Worked On

• Proofreading
• Editing
• Art
• Playtest
• Polish and Refine Current Art