Race to the Ruins
Introduction
One-shot adventure for 2-6 players in the Anhult Wildlands Setting. This adventure introducing the Anhult Wildlands is available for personal or commercial use. It is laid out to be system agonistic but easily adaptable to any 5e or Pathfinder 2e compatible system. If you use it commericially, please provide the following attribution "Race to the Ruins, an introduction to the Anhult Wildlands https://anhult.com by George Sanders." Enjoy!
Background
The Red Lion Inn had a busy night! As the evening wound down, Vladar Umarov introduced himself. An academic from the South gathering artifacts, he spoke with each party member at length. He sang stories about some of his past discoveries- set to popular melodies.
Vlad came to study the ruins near the Inn. The Holtswain Academy, his sponsor, hordes artifacts. Sometimes selling them to wealthy nobles. "Their expert curations will surely make each find a great boon to society." When Vlad couldn't make the pitch soar, he switched gears. "A healthy hike through the forest and an afternoon studying old buildings. A little digging. That is all I need."
The conversation revealed that the ruins likely hold valuable artifacts. Another team from a competing city, Coral Gate, had shown up to acquire the artifacts as well. Vlad has been in this situation before and does not wish to return home empty-handed. His tone was straightforward. He was out to win. He wanted to know if the party could handle themselves if a tense situation arises. He offered a hefty 50 coin payment to each party member to be an escort. He expects to use their labor when gathering artifacts.
Synopsis
Summary for GMKnowledge Locked Away
Vlad has an internal conflict. He has become disheartened with stealing gathering artifacts. The items locked away, make his work meaningless. Vlad will ask the party their opinion on Etonia, the forest, and magic in the region. Through the adventure the party can convince Vlad to take his research to Etonia and keeping the artifacts in the region they were found. The party can also help him retrieve artifacts, get paid, and continue on their way. Neither the party nor any locals know of the entry points to the ruins that Vlad and Bartholomew aim to uncover.
Competing Party
The team from Coral Gate is led by Bartholomew Racmine, a wizard gathering artifacts for dark magic. The party will find evidence of this along the way, including undead, missing relics, and traps. Revenge for every perceived slight motivates him. He expects to exert control over everyone for his purposes. Bartholomew recovered knowledge on summoning a massive undead entity. He will have his team keep the party busy while he exits. Evidence left being should make Vlad and the party concerned about something dark brewing. Optionally, this could lead to the next adventure to report the incident to Etonia or to a quest-giver in your own setting.
The guides Bartholomew has hired are locals. One is Zehra Spinerender and the other is Thom Fletcher. Zehra works as a guide and bodyguard for dignitaries that come to Etonia. Thom is an expert scribe often hired to write letters for travelers. He maintains a reputation of being trusted to keep information confidential. The pair lead the local thieves guild. They are suspicious of what Bartholomew is doing but keep their heads down to get the job done. They will fight against an aggressive party but may turn against Bartholomew otherwise. Bartholomew's assistant is Gim Wren. Smart and efficient, Gim, is an assassin brought along in case things need 'fixing.'
Lore
A connection between the indigenous people of the forest, Sogut, and an older ancient Elven civilization is unknown to the world. Several artifacts in this adventure have writing in two languages to make this connection. A character who knows one language can get a feel for the other with a difficult Intelligence Skill Check in your game system. The artifacts in this adventure are from an group called the Zug Heel who worked as elite guards in the ancestral Sogut civilization. The artifacts Vlad came for can be any item on the Repository level. The artifacts prodivde evidence of an internal divide in the Zug Heel between two brothers. Propaganda and evidence of a resistance shows up in poetry on the artifacts. The Zug Heel built the Repository on top of an older Elven knowledge storage monolith. Bartholomew came for information in the monolith. Earth Elementals were used to make some parts of the Elven structure.
In the Anhult Wildlands most species/lineages are openly welcomed in the region. Few Elves are left in the world. There is no cultural memory of an elven civilization. Kobolds are viewed with suspicion. Goblins are hunted due to recent raiding. Characters playing as a goblin would need to maintain a disguise.
Time Challenge
If the party leaves the Red Lion Inn before dawn, they may arrive before the competing party. The competing party will bypass the Repository level to get ahead. If the party leaves the next morning, they will be behind the entire time. They should see signs of the competing party when they enter the Repository.
Adventure Hooks
The characters could be locals or travelers passing through on the way to Etonia. Locals could be indigenous people of the forest (any half-race in your game system), tradespeople, clergy from the Church, or magic initiates at the Library. Travelers could be people coming to Etonia for the Fish and Biscuit Rally, immigrating from the South, or as caravan guards/drivers.
All the characters were in the tavern and approached by Vlad. They agreed to help and meet with him after the evening settled. Use pre-session Warm Up Questions and a round of introductions reflect that. Discuss content players would want to avoid ahead of the session. Review safety tools at the beginning of the session. Split treasure evenly. Use the highest dice roll among players that all want treasure or an item found.
Chapter 1 - Inns and Ruins
hour
Evening Meeting
If the party haggles, Vlad will offer an artifact recovered or 25 coin extra. He will ask twice if the party can leave in the night. This increases the chance of getting lost but could save time. If they leave right away have them do a survival or tracking skill check. Each player that fails significantly could be exhausted from the trip.
If the competing party gets ahead, . If the player party reaches the surface ruins first, they get a Story Award: Delayed the Undead at the end. The other party will go around them to get into the ruins at a different location and not leave signs until the random encounters in Chapter 2.
If the party waits, you could run Optional Inn Encounters. They will not need a survival check in the morning, but will be behind the other party. Describe signs of recent digging once the ruins are reached. They gain extra health from the breakfast with mushrooms Dee brought. Dee does not accompany them into the ruins unless the party size is small.
Surface Ruins
Use each character's ideal skill checks to dig and find relics (pottery, engraved bricks, lore, or metal crafted items). Include all players. Any player that fails a check or is not engaging, Vlad starts a conversation about their background and what they think about Etonia. He is curious how inclusive to immigrants the city has been and if regular houses have access to magic like the Inn. Insert Optional Ruins Encounters here.
Hidden Ruins
Development
View NotesVlad knew the surface level ruins were not the target. He had information that a larger structure would be underneath. If the party won't enter with him, give them options that keep the story moving. For Example, they could spot the competing party in the distance, working on another entrance. If they follow the competing party bring the party in by the arched door in Chapter 2. Vlad rushes down the hall to the Repository rooms instead of through the arch down into the Elven monolith.
Chapter 2 - Raiding the Repository
2 hours
Repository
Read map and room descriptions as players explore. Vlad will instruct party members to do rubbings of inscriptions and collect artifacts. Be mindful of character language backgrounds (two ancient civilizations overlap in the ruins, orcish and elven). Use history and investigation related skill checks to find Trinkets and Lore. Perception or Insight skill checks reveal Vlad's mixed emotions with taking artifacts for profit and concern about the competing party. Be creative in using all characters. For example, use performance skill checks to share ideas about how the place was used. Vlad should engage at least one character at this time, sharing that he is disappointed the world won't be able to know more about this discovery. Include Optional Repository Encounters as the party explores.
Trapped and Sapped
In the last cell is a fey traveler, a cabbit named Kibber. He will use his Charm Ability to try to convince the party to free it, if they don't try to help first. He was searching for a friend when he was captured by the competing party. His friend is a nature spirit, Lavani. The cabbit does not know where she is. He knew her long ago when she worked at a library and would tell him stories.
The competing party used the cabbit to power this facility and open the archway going down. The cabbit is a chef and offers to come along with the party. Before leaving Kibber will set up a pot and fire, that he conjures out of the air. This can count as a short rest. Anyone that eats the meal gets bonus health. You can also use the Fey Magic Table to impart a side effect. The cabbit uses fey spells as recipes that create the healing and side effects.
Development
If the party does not continue with him, they could encounter the competing party outside for the final battle. If there is more than an hour left, when the party surfaces they find a door has been uncovered. Jump to Chp 3 Scene 2 when the party opens the door. If they don't enter, they will spot the competing party returning to the Inn. They do not have to fight the competing party at this point but can gather information on what have been found.
Chapter 3 - Necropolis and Elven Monolith
hour
Unwelcome Discovery
Any character that touches the skulls gets an electric shock anyone within 5 feet also receives the shock. If everyone describes proceeds carefully, no saving throw is needed. However, if anyone has a polearm or heavy armor they will need to make a roll to avoid the arcs as they walk down the hall.
Detecting Magic, using history or investigation skills reveals that the structure generates a magical force and uncovers the essence in the bones is being tapped. A successful check could reveal 10 skulls are missing. This construction is recent compared to the hallway.
Puzzles and Bridges
This door speaks Elvish or Orcish. It will speak kindly but always talking down on the party as lessor beings. It does not have any knowledge of events outside of this room. It can share that the competing party has already entered. When the door is approached, players that understand it hear, "Even gentle minds are permitted to tour the magnificent monolith held within my doors but you must show some ability to learn or it is not safe to let you enter."
An inscription around the top of the world reads, "The door cannot open until the Spring begins anew." In a box at the bottom of the world there is a poem inscribed.
World in disorder,
Settled seasons are the key,
Cold, hot, wet or dry.
A closer investigation of the world reveals it is simply an image of 4 different seasons. There is a round pressure plate hidden in each season. Weight needs applied in the order of Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter. The plates do not move if the order is wrong and resets after errors. Players don't need to roll if they work out the puzzle.
Blast Bartholomew
Bartholomew will not stay to fight. He opens a portal the first round, levitates the crate through in the 2nd round, then steps in for the 3rd round. He can cast shield to block attacks. The skeletons lumber across the bridge. The assassin attacks with a crossbow. Use the local guides (Zehra and Thom) to interfere with the assassin if he causes too much trouble for the party. On the 4th round the assassin will step through the portal unless the party can take him down first. If he has the upper hand he will stay to finish off the party. Dee will recover their bodies and they wake in the Inn to complete the ending.
Development
View NotesThe local guides accompanied Bartholomew to other ruins and had started to get suspicious of his plans. They won't go through the portal unless the party is actively fighting them. They will ask the party to report Bartholomew to Ranon in Etonia. She is a well-respected member of the Etonia Council. The guides need to lay low and ask not to be mentioned.
Vlad falls to his knees by the portal. "If I had more resources I could figure out what he took." He chips away a sigil of the teleportation circle to prevent Bartholomew's return. If the local guides were dispatched, Vlad can present the two ending options.
Epilogue
View EndingsEnding 1 - All About Business
Party does not alert Etonia, they can spend the time to gain knowledge from the monolith. Each player can add one skill proficiency (or an expertise if they add to a proficient skill). Each character can keep one magic item. The adventure concludes with the party returning to the Red Lion Inn and continuing on their way.
Ending 2 - Another Path
Party agrees to alert Etonia, they gain a Story Award: Thieves Guild Favor. They keep magic items and Trinkets. The adventure concludes with Vlad escorted to Etonia for a meeting with Ranon.
This is really well done!!
PANGORIO
andHYPNOSIUM
Thanks! I got some experience over the past year. Plus, I know more of the World Anvil layout tricks now. Glad you enjoyed the adventure!