---
tags: Indith
---
Grand Theft Carriage
===

The mayor of the small farming village of Hamfell, down on its luck, decides to hire its own criminals to pull off a heist on a travelling carriage containing a large amount of gold travelling through.

Unfortunately, this carriage does contain gold, but all of it is intended to buy medicine for saving the lives of the children of Uldorf.

Characters must choose whether or not to take the gold, and then to where it's returned. Potential choices include whether they will take the medicine; if they will assist in delivering the medicine; if they will assist in pawning off the medicine; and if they will return to Hamfell to face Valda.
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## Characters

**Olgur (Player)** Dwarven gang member in Uldorf. Was extradited to Hamfell at personal behest of Valda, who is forcing them to serve out their sentence.
Believes a swift right hook can solve a lot of problems. Has a gruff personality and loves playing cards. Niece/Nephew of Valda.
Questions:
What happened to their parents?
What was their role in the gang they were in in Uldorf?
When has violence backfired on them?
**Helwin (Player)** Fey charlatan who was arrested for embezzlement from a local temple. They've worked as a con-artist for a long time now. Their many roles over the years have given them a prodigious understanding of artistry, makeup, and theater. Believes that everyone wears a mask, even if they themselves don't realize it. Has a charming personality and loves food. Owes a large debt to a local gang.
Questions:
What was the temple they embezzled from?
Do they believe they wear a mask? If so, what kind?
How did they get in debt?
**Oolth (Player)** Salimar thief who was arrested for theft of gold from a local bank. They were attempting to provide for their family, who has since left them since their subsequent prison sentence. Believes in fulfillment of duty even at personal cost. Has a quick, sarcastic wit and a love of poetry. Valda knows where their family is located.
Questions:
Who are all the members of your family?
When is a time duty has gotten in the way?
What kind of poetry do you prefer?
**Ploon (Player)** Treefolk gardener who was arrested for illegal gardening on private property. Has been surreptitiously "gardening" various folk's home's for years, whether they wanted it returned to forest or not. Believes that no land is private property, and all is rented from the forest. Has a dreamy, ethereal presence, but also loves working out and lifting. Valda has an ancient seed that was long thought extinct that he is willing to give for bringing him the shipment.
Questions:
What kind of plants were you growing?
Are any settlements acceptable?
What will the ancient seed grow?
**Argon (Player)** Karhu accountant who was arrested after attacking a prominent local official. They saw him being bribed by a local merchant to look the other way on his tax forms and went into a frenzy. Believes that society would be equal if laws were applied equally. Has little sense of humor and very literal interpretations of statements. Valda took away Argon's ceremonial armor when they were arrested, but will give it back in return for the shipment.
Questions:
Who was the local merchant?
What happens if laws are unfair?
What is the history of your ceremonial armor?
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## Strong Start
Opening:
The town of Hamfell has seen better days. A slow decline in trade has led what was once a bustling, up and coming grain producer into what it is today- a ramshackle town that its children don't want to stay in. The town sits resolutely in a valley that still has excellent produce, wanting only for a purchaser.

This matters little to you all, of course, sitting as you have been in prison for the last few months (for those of you fortunate) or last few years (for those less fortunate). The prison, lies in the basement of the town hall, a damp and decaying building that somehow manages to make each new coat of paint immediately look old. In this time, you've all come to know one another. The hours whittle away as the slow drip of water off the moldy walls marks the passage of time. The sun has just started to set when a guard walks down the stairs. "Sit up you layabouts. Mayor wishes to see you".

Prisoners are walked to the mayor, who informs them that the town of Hamfell is down on its luck and doesn't have enough food to last the winter (currently fall), but has received word of a nearby carriage passing through (from Uldorf Credit Union) that contains enough gold to get them through the winter. To protect the innocence of the townsfolk, he is going to help you break out of prison. In return, you'll meet up with the convoy (if applicable), retrieve the package, then meet him outside the city. He gives the prisoners a key, tells them to make it convincing, and that their supplies will be waiting for them outside the town.
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## Scenes

graph TD
meeting[meeting with mayor] --> prison[prison break]

prison --> swamp
swamp --> carriage[UCU carriage]
carriage --> Hastof
Hastof --> pass[mountain pass]
pass --> carriage
pass --> mayor[Confrontation with Valda]
pass --> Uldorf
carriage --> mayor
Uldorf --> mayor

**Meeting with Mayor Valda**
Players meet with Valda, who informs them of the path of the UCU carriage, as well as suggesting that they approach the carriage only in Sarsal swamp, as the Krain Order has patrols all over the main roads, working for the arch druids.
**Prison Break**
Valda's plan is an "off the books" kind of operation, and he doesn't want everyone in the town knowing he let 5 criminals walk free. He gives one of the players a key, tells them to sneak out as best they can. They should keep the violence to a minimum, or their sentence will be reinstated.
Timers:
Dawn
Prison Guards
Violence
**Sarsal Swamp**
Sarsal swamp is home to many creatures, including the Gronk tribe and a Swamp Kraken. If players have more than a day before Aengen arrives, they will be set upon by the Gronk tribe, who demands tribute. If captured, they will be offered a deal- 23.82% of the gold in the carriage (as calculated by current Gronkian to gold exchange rates), or they may be fed to the Swamp Kraken, dubbed Grunk.

If only a day remains before Aengen arrives, the Gronk tribe will wait to attack until they attack the carriage, will offer safe passage in exchange for a mere 7.86% tariff.

If they defeat several of the Gronk's, they will be approached by Uhug, who offers them a champions feast, where she will offer the same deal, but if refused will attempt to tie them up in the middle of the night.
Timers:
Swamp
Gronk
Grunk

**Aengen's Carriage**
Aengen's carriage is a fine, high security carriage. It is drawn by 2 horses (health 3), and 2 drivers (health 4, whip (range 2)). It is protected by 3 guards, (health 5, 1 light, 2 ranged). Aengen herself will not fight (health 3). While the guards will fight, they aren't interested in defeating, only in protecting the carriage. The carriage moves quickly, attempting to flee every turn. (outrider trait)
Timers:
Carriage
Kraken
Goblins

**Hastof Keep**
Hastof Keep is used to slow down too fast of groups. If going slowly, visitors are not accepted, and the carriage picks up the supplies but passes on by.
Hastof Keep is secluded, protecting the rest of the world from the zombies coming from the ashen isles. They are suspicious of the outsiders, but will permit them as Aengen is with them. Aengen needs to look over the supplies before heading on, meaning the players get some brief downtime (no more than a round or two).
Timers:
Aengen Inspection
Hastof Kindness

Hastof Keep can also be used as an alternative heist should players choose. After Aengen drops off the gold and takes the medicine, Valda may suggest they attempt to steal it. This should be much harder than taking it from Aengen, but allows them to be more ethical.

Timers:
Guards
Dawn
Zombies

**Lack Mountain Pass**
May be home to 2 different confrontations, depending on how the story is progressing. If the players were unsuccessful with stopping the carriage in the swamp, then they have another chance here. Otherwise they are confronted by Mayor Valda.

Lack Mountain pass is home to the Treefolk Lack Mountain clan. An ancient clan of Treefolk, the Lack Mountain clan seeks preservation of nature above all. They are uninterested in gold, but might assist the players in exchange for rare seeds. They will attempt to stop the players if they are damaging or disrespecting nature in any way.
Timers:
Lack Mountain Pass
Treefolk Irritation
Escaping Valda

**Confrontation with Mayor Valda**
Valda, expecting to hear back from the players much sooner, hired a scroll reader to scry on the players. Realizing they were now assisting the carriage, he rushed to cut them off at Lack mountain pass (going through Uldorf). He knows the carriage was intended to help the children of Uldorf, but doesn't care, as his own son died due to the same disease and Uldorf didn't send aid. Will attack carriage (and medicine inside) to stop it from reaching Uldorf.

He is accompanied by a scroll reader (hp 3, Blast (1 damage on 2 targets) and Melt (may freeze 1 target in place)) and 3 guards (hp 2). Valda is hp 6 diehard, charismatic,
Timers:
Carriage health
Avalanche

**Uldorf**
Uldorf is a relatively short section, as players either will have finished with both the medicine and Valda, or are using this as a break before confronting Valda. Use as downtime and a denoument.
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## Secrets and Clues
1. The gold in the carriage is being used to buy medicine for some sick children
2. Mayor Valda plans to pawn the gold for his own gain
3. The goblins of Sarsal are organized and believe they have a claim to all gold passing through
4. Uldorf's children are falling ill to a rare disease
5. Valda doesn't trust that they'll get the job done and will have his own guards do the deed if he has to
6. Hamfell had been doing well in the past, but harvest prices fell when Uldorf started shipping from Oghma
7. Valda is deeply in debt from commodities trading on Hamfell produce
8. The Ashen Isle zombies are amassing for a large attack on Hastof Keep
9.
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## Fantastic Locations
### Hamfell
Descriptors: quaint, rundown, sleepy
**Town Hall** Where players are kept in prison.

graph TD;
prison --> hallway;
hallway --> guards[guard's quarters];
hallway --unmarked--> dogs[dog kennel];
hallway --> foyer[town hall foyer];
foyer --> outside
dogs --small window --> outside;
outside --> patrol;
patrol --> Elda;
Elda --> cache
outside --> south
south --> farmer[farmer coming in from fields]
farmer --> cache

**Urghur's Market**
Karhu who runs a small market for wares
**Elda the Bridge Troll** Guards the bridge for the village, longtime friend of one of the characters. Vegan, deep lover of potatoes
**Forest Spirit Temple** Small temple that houses a shrine to the forest spirits. One of the characters is deeply religious.

**Parallel Fields** due to the influence of the nearby crashed star chariot, the fields near here are very strange. They all grow in parallel, grid like rows- and all the plants are perfect duplicates of one another. Plants not planted in a grid mysteriously move in the night towards the grid points, and somehow always reshape themselves to look like what's nearby them.

### Swamps of Sarsal
Descriptors : damp, oppressive, tangled

The swamps have also been warped by the effects of the star chariots. The trees have a strange, geometric quality to them, and the leaf canopy above has formed a solid ceiling of crystal, trapping the evaporation from the swamp below. This gives the swamps a perpetual fog, making it difficult to navigate or see very far.

**Goblin Village of Gronk**: small town where the Gronk tribe lives. Small huts propped up on poles connected by rope bridges and wooden catwalks cover the whole town
**Lair of the Swamp Kraken**: a swamp kraken has overtaken a cave and lake in Sarsal. Is capable of the following actions. 9 HP. Will stalk adventurers for food, but will flee if severely damaged.
- Constrict (Melee Attack): Test 2d6 against an enemy within 10 feet of you. On a successful hit, the enemy must roll a Save Test to avoid being grappled. Each round an enemy is grappled, it takes 2 damage. On its turn, a grappled foe can make a Save Test (or Evade Test) to escape.
- Reach: Kraken tentacles are long. Kraken may make up to 4 attacks on its turn, against any target standing within 10 feet of the water’s edge. Each Kraken Tentacle has 2 Hit Points (separate from the Kraken’s HP above.)
- Hurl (Ranged Attack): A Kraken may hurl a boulder, stone or constricted foe as a Ranged attack.
**Fairy Ring** ring of small mushrooms with small lights dancing in the middle. Staring at the lights require a resistance check or character begins to dance. For each additional dancer, 3 malicious fairies (1HP, Beastspeaker, nimble; uses small bites and hypnosis) appear and attempt to make the rest dance. Destroying the mushrooms releases a noxious gas that causes hallucinations (disadvantage on all attacks).
**Withered Tree** an ancient and withered tree leans over the road. Knocking it down would easily block the path or could damage a cart
**Trader's Wagon** an enormous brightly colored wagon is passing through, trading a number of rare and magical items. Trader identifies themself only as Grummold, will not reveal themselves. On perception, realize it is a ghost.

**Potential Names**:
- Gradbold: economist quizzer,
- Boldog
- Lukil
- Lagdog
- Gashur
- Golurtz
- Shakil
- Balcmuzg
- Golugd
- Buga

### Hastof Keep
(Only use if players are going very fast, otherwise they are too distrustful to let in outsiders)
Descriptors: staid, stoic, foreboding
**Quartermaster Ellen's office** Ellen is the quartermaster of Hastof keep. May provide the players with additional equipment if some of them agree to serve for a time after they're done with their quest.
**Henert Prison** One of the characters meets an old acquaintance inside. Asks them to break them out, if refused will ask to send a letter to someone in Uldorf.
**Hardmouth Inn** Several of the soldiers, coming in from patrols, are swapping stories and drinking. If the players choose to join, they may challenge the player to either a drinking game or an arm wrestling match.

graph TD;
moat --> curtain[curtain wall];
curtain --> battlements;
curtain --> ward;
ward --> prison
ward --> keep
ward --> inn
keep --> office
keep --> vaults

Office: contains key to vaults
Battlements: may find a patrol map laying out
Moat: filthy and dank, may cause difficulty in sneaking if falling in
Inn: may hear rumors of the gold being stored below the keep in the vaults from a drunken worker

### Lack Mountains
(Ignore if players are going slowly and skip Valda confrontation. If they were unsuccessful stopping the carriage in the swamps, Valda doesn't appear)
Descriptors: bleak, craggy, pines
The lack mountains are extremely cold. Players need to roll resistance against the cold every day. On failure, next test is done at disadvantage.

graph TD;
clan[clan longhouse] --> cliffs[cliffs of er];
cliffs --> kal;
clan -->kal[Kal Passage];
caves[caves of remora] --- cliffs;
kal --> lake[Lake Lador];
lake --> Uldorf;

**Clan Longhouse** When not out tending the forests, the Treefolk gather here. This 100 yard long enormous house is shaped mostly out of pine trees surrounding it, the branches magically woven together above. The center is uncovered, with a small pool underneath it. A magic fire burns within the pool, keeping it from freezing over. A group of treefolk is gossiping about some nearby locations and will help describe a local map for the players
**Cliffs of Er** Cliffs overlooking Uldorf. If players aren't cautious, may cause an avalanche, which will bury players on failure, causing 2 damage, one damage on success.
**Kal Passage** top of the passage in the lack mountains. This passage may cause the carriage to get stuck, requiring 3 successive tests to unstick it. On 1 failure, the carriage comes unstuck suddenly, causing 1 damage. On 2 failures, the carriage breaks down, slowing it to half speed. On 3 failures, the carriage remains stuck.
**Lake Lador** Totally frozen over, but out on the center of the island in the middle of the lake is a strange button that if pressed makes the water hot. Pressing it again makes it boil, pressing it a third time makes it freeze again.
**Remora** The caves of remora hold a powerful magic item. the caves on the way down hold a large number of statues posed holding a door that has ice seeping out around the edges. Removing the artifact causes the statues to become unstuck, who beg them to replace the statue. Behind the door a draco lich lurks, waiting to be freed.

### Uldorf
Descriptors: dirty, cosmopolitan, segregated
**Yelda Hospital** Where Aengen is assisting the children as a doctor. While the doctors are snooty towards the country bumpkins (players) they aren't aggressive.
**Belthor the Conqueror's Flower Conservatory** A common meeting place for courting couples, features a small greenhouse in the middle of the field.
**Oddo's Oddities** A curiosities store, specializing in magical item repair and couch reupholstery.

### Temple of Krain
Descriptors: stifling, intense, imposing
The temple of Krain is home to the Krain Order, which oversees the Krain Accords. The Krain Accords were signed 50 years ago by the leaders of the major cities at the time and the arch-druids to never form an organized country again nor encroach on nature aside from the cities already set aside, and would send the druids a hefty tax each decade. In return, the arch-druids would protect travelers via the Krain Order. The cities, having just lost a war against the arch-druids, agreed to the terms.

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## Important NPCs
**Valda** melodramatic, gushing (lean in, steepled). Dwarven Mayor of Hamfell, presents a deal to the adventurers. Father of Olgur.
**Aengen** pious, prim (stiff, fingers crossed). Lizardfolk woman, works as a doctor, who is transporting the medicine to the nearby city of Uldorf. Willing to hire the players for protection.
**Hilda** Scheming, bombastic (lean back, rub chin). Goblin leader of the Gronk swamp tribe. Very protective of the swamp, doesn't want visitors going through. Happy to assist with heist if she can take a cut of the gold.
The Swamp Kraken (Grunk) that lives nearby worries her. She's been feeding it for some time, but is worried that its getting larger, and one day the tributes may not be enough.
**Quendra** Somber, Amish (hand wringing, slow). Treefolk leader of Lack Mountain clan.
**Ellys** Eccentric, sprightly (partly close left eye, talk fast). Trader of wares in Sarsal Swamps. Frequently sees ghosts of characters ancestors. Has trouble distinguishing reality and visions.
**Bryne** stoic, obsessive
**Wene** grunts, distrustful
**Cery** effusive, flirtatious
**Goldburg**
**Jane** another prisoner, bearfolk
**Sidwe** another prisoner, treefolk
**Tiva** Karhu guard
**Burwe** dwarven guard, male
**Pe** salimar male guard
**Wulfwe**
**Aedild**
**Cecie**
**Burgwe**

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## Potential Treasure
1. A small shard of black stone or metal. When thrown, all matter within a five-foot radius is instantly sucked into a void and utterly destroyed.
2. A dragon's tooth engraved with arcane symbols. When held and activated, the cypher conjures and hurls a giant rock.
3. A jagged golden shard on a leather cord. When held and activated, the cypher conjures and hurls nine arrows.
4. A slender spindle of emerald smeared with crimson blood. When impaled into flesh, the cypher dissolves and heals 1d4 hp.
5. A jagged iron shard engraved with alien symbols. When held and activated, the cypher grants you advantage on ranged attack rolls for 1 minute.
6. A broken elder wand engraved with incoherent labyrinths. When held and activated, the cypher conjures an area of daylight for 2d6 rounds.
7. A darkwood fragment scorched by flame. When held and activated, the cypher conjures a brass lantern and two flasks of oil.
8. A bloodstone shard engraved with incoherent labyrinths. When thrown at a target, the cypher explodes into a cloud of concealing smoke.
9. A battered cube of dull metal, once inscribed with runes and set with gemstones. When held and activated, the cypher conjures an iron golem. The golem cannot be controlled, and attacks any nearby creatures until destroyed or one minute has elapsed, whenupon it falls to pieces.
10. A jagged shard of amethyst smeared with black ichor. When impaled into flesh, the cypher dissolves and transforms you into an undead skeleton for 1 minute.
11. A jagged shard of uncut diamond, which gives forth a baleful moaning. When held and activated, the user can reshape earth and stone as per the spell stone shape, affecting 5000 cubic feet of material.
12. A hazelwood shard engraved with arcane symbols. When held and activated, the cypher allows you to teleport a small object you can see to your hand.
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## Encounters

Enemies

1. Find 10 gold in a sack beside the road marked with an ominous rune. Successful investigation reveals its the sign of a local assassin's guild
2. Travelling merchant (lizardfolk, Urr) comes by. Willing to sell rations for 3 gold, scrolls for 5, cyphers for 7. Will only pay 3 gold for any scrolls, 5 gold for cyphers.
3. Somewhere nearby, a high pitched whining echoes throughout the night for miles around. Makes it impossible to sleep that evening- no hp recovery. If investigated, a nearby ruin holds a stone that emits the noise. When not exposed to moonlight, it stops.
4. Highwaymen (3x hp2)
Demands 5 Gold
3. Nearby cave. Looking inside, there appears to be a few crates of old goods containing rations, 1x scroll and supplies. Behind the counter, there is an old relic that may be a cypher. Draped across the counter is a mummy (hp 10). Sign behind the counter has prices for everything (no more than 3-4 gold in total) and asks players to leave the money in the box. Leaving without paying will result in the mummy casting its poisonous breath on players (disease status)
4. Little old woman (Mary, Salimar) comes by asking players if they happen to have seen a small sack of gold that has gone missing. Tells them to be on the lookout for it, she fears some brigand has stolen it. A successful perception check reveals she has 2x daggers and a small crossbow concealed on her. investigation of the symbol reveals its a local assassin's guild
6. Raining - scouting is difficult next day
7. Mystic Aura surrounds a field- old runes dot the landscape. Hard to see, will explode if touched.