664 Boleshivka -Level 2 Settlement

Ah! Finally, you’re here. We’ve been expecting you. Take this badge and get to work. Find as much information as you can and bring back our water!

Stephanie

Water is the most valuable resource for settle­ments. That is if they are to become cities in the future. Water is paramount for life to sur­vive. People, animals, trees, plants, and even the grass from a prairie. All require Adam’s ale to perse­vere, to live on. Without it, life would be lost.

The case is no different for the people of Boleshivka. Water from the Tolsky River keeps their economy run­ning and the lives of the villagers thriving. They start­ed as a tiny hamlet of ten people but in only two years, Boleshivka has more than tripled in size. And today, close to 200 hundred heads work the farmlands.

Adventure Hooks

The water is polluted and the water flow has dimin­ished. It is so dirty even the animals get sick from it. No one knows what causes this but the problem has persist­ed for five days already. A solution must be found quickly; the water reserves cannot hold much longer.

The authorities ignore that the culprits a large group of gnolls are. The pack of hyena-folk dammed the river upstream and pollute the water. They intend to drive the people of Boleshivka away as they grow weaker and sick.

Investigators. The characters are hired and asked to travel to Boleshivka as soon as possible. They are in­formed of their polluted water supply and their mission is to ask around the village to find clues of what hap­pened, find the culprit, and seek a solution (30, 3 XP).

RUMORS d6 Details
1 People in the village claim that they have been hearing strange howlings at night for the past month or so.
2 A farmer tells the adventurers that something ate half of one of his cows. He suspects a bear roams the area.
3 A young boy says he heard two adults talking about a merchant who was attacked by barbarians nearby.
4 Two local guards believe the capital is too far away from Boleshivka. This makes it difficult to send help when trouble occurs; royal aid may still take a while to arrive.
5 A villager claims that he saw a werewolf, a wolf standing on two legs, stealing food from the mill two nights ago.
6 A kid claims that he found a human finger in the water yesterday. His parents threw it away. He cannot prove it.

Level 2 Adventure

  • Danger. Risky. Check for a random event every time the characters visit a new area (3-in-6 chance).
  • Smells and Sounds. A strong smell of manure comes from the pig sty. The stench travels across the river and to the tavern (area 7). The sounds of farm animals can be heard throughout the day. Crickets and stars are the only friends to be found during the starlit nights.
  • Bridges. Two stone bridges are used to cross the wa­ter. The river is 10 feet deep at its center. People used to bathe in it and wash clothes but now it is not possible.
RANDOM EVENTS d6 Details
1 Four bandits look for people to rob and things to steal. They do not expect the characters to be present.
2 The largest pig escaped from the sty! It tramples the characters unless they catch it (DC 14 STR check).
3 An itinerary merchant arrives in town. He offers simple wares but carries two random magic items to sell.
4 A mastiff barks at the characters a little but its owner, a man in traveling attire, gets a hold of the dog. He is a tracker. He says his dog picked up a foreign scent.
5 The characters stumble upon two wandering gnolls while they walk through town after sunset.
6 A brown bear approaches looking for something to eat. It leaves if the characters offer enough food. Otherwise, it becomes hostile but flees if reduced to half its hit points.

1. Main Road

The stench of pigs is the first sign for travelers that they are close to their destination, Boleshivka.

It is an uneventful trip for the characters. A person waits for them at the side of the road. They are expected.

  • Stephanie. A tall woman wears armor with the crown’s sigil. She informs the characters that her mis­sion is to stay in town as the eye of authority while they do their job. She tells the characters they may stay in Boleshivka’s Tavern and Inn (area 7) for as long as they need, while they run their investigation. She confirms they have the authority to ask around and interview any­one. She gives them a copper badge that identifies each character as a representative of the crown. These may facilitate the villagers’ cooperation and disposition.

2. Pig Sty

Several pigs oink and squeal happily in the mud. Three people do their daily chores around the sty. They stop their duties when they see the heroes.

One of the main sources of income is its high production of livestock. Pigs look amazingly healthy and large. The pig breeders in Boleshivka are sought for their high-qual­ity knowledge and incredible ways with swine.

  • Fat Bella. Harold, the main pig breeder, is desperate. One of his most beloved sows is sick and he does not know what to do anymore. He has tried everything in his repertoire. With deep sadness, he tells the characters that he might be forced to make a horrible choice. The sow can be healed with magic. Any spell that removes a disease works for this purpose. If the characters help heal Fat Bella, they are each awarded a luck token.
  • Clues. The pig breeders tell the characters that the water contains a large amount of oily fur. They believe a hairy abomination must be the source of the pollution.

3. Magnolia’s Home

A wooden sign reads: “Some reap what they sow. I sew what you tear – the best seamstress in town”.

Magnolia earns her living sewing all kinds of fabrics and materials. She is the best in town. At the same time, she is the only seamstress in Boleshivka so her sign is both right and wrong. The characters can have her mend and repair any piece of clothing or traveling gear.

  • Clues. Some clothes she mended had claw marks. They belonged to a pair of travelers found dead near the town yesterday. “Wolves?,” Magnolia says, full of doubt.

4. “Old Knife”

This small home belongs to a venerable man whom ev­eryone calls ‘Old Knife’. No one knows the man’s name but he was an adventurer in his bygone youth.

  • Clues. The man’s knees hurt. And Old Knife, sitting on a rocking chair, claims that means monsters roam nearby. The characters are free to believe him or not.

5. Boleshivka’s Wares

A large establishment crammed with shelves display­ing all kinds of items and tools. A smiling bald man stands on the other end of the polished counter.

One of the largest buildings in town belongs to Ray­mond, a short, bulky man with a shaved head. His shop, the tavern, and the mill belong to the capital. Raymond works for the city and makes a living running this place.

  • Clues. A pair of merchants were attacked before reaching town. Their belongings were confiscated and repurposed to benefit the community. Some of the stuff from the incident is for sale or given for free (empty flasks, mended pieces of clothing, and other mundane stuff). However, Raymond gives the heroes a small patch of fur. He says they gathered it from the scene and the dead. This is gnoll’s pelage (DC 14 INT check).

6. Pippin’s Restaurant

The smell of food and freshly baked bread is almost strong enough to hide the pig sty’s stench. A staff of five serves twenty to thirty patrons during meal time.

Pippin is a merry halfling with a broad smile. But, in times of stress, he becomes the most annoying little fel­low. The moment he sees the characters, he jumps into their way to beg for their help and explain how his 5-star restaurant will not make it without a clean water supply!

  • Clues. He brings the heroes a small basket with things he retrieved from the polluted river. A human fin­ger, patches of thick, oily fur like the one Raymond has (see above), and a fragment of a claw are among the items. The characters inch a step closer to the truth.

7. Boleshivka’s Tavern and Inn

Despite the town’s size, thanks to the many business opportunities, there are often people staying here.

The largest building in town is the tavern. When the characters show Stephanie’s badge to Bubba, the keep­er, a room is prepared and drinks are brought for them.

  • Clues. Bubba is glad to see someone taking care of the town’s situation so he tells the characters something he is not supposed to say: the capital sent troops to at­tack the barbarian tribes up north. This was done with­out provocation from the northern tribes 2 months ago.

8. Boleshivka’s Mill

Kelly, the miller, is bored and depressed. The grain and valuables were stolen during a robbery two days ago. With the polluted water and the town stopping in its tracks, she sits idle. The heroes bring a smile to her face.

  • Clues. Kelly happily beckons the characters to show them the paw tracks that go north. She hopes this helps them find a solution to Boleshivka’s water supply.

The Gnolls

Gnolls are responsible for the stream’s state. The gnolls’ camp is located two hours to the north. The gnolls polluted the river because the capital’s troops at­tacked them for no reason and want to drive them off their lands. This violates a treaty they signed years ago (the gnolls have the paperwork). The characters are free to parley and trust what they say or come with their weapons drawn, attack, and ask questions later. Either way, that confrontation is an adventure for another day…

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