Townsfolk worry and nobles curse as caravans and merchants are detained in the depths of the Tallbeak Pass. Rumor has it that a dinosaur impedes passage.
Trade and travel to the north have stopped for the inhabitants of Garland City. Surrounded by a mountain range, the northern territories can only be accessed through the Tallbeak Pass. However, caravans and travelers there have been stopped and robbed in the past few weeks.
According to witness reports, an aggressive, 20-foot-tall dinosaur blocks the pass. A tribe of loyal kobolds accompanies this monster and does its bidding. A week ago, a caravan was stripped bare by the kobolds while the dinosaur stood by; gazing menacingly at the poor travelers.
Monster. People describe it as a large abomination with leathery, saggy skin. Its roar echoes through the narrow mountain pass while the kobolds approach to rob travelers.
Something does not add up; the dinosaur is rumored to be perilous but no one has been harmed by it. Maybe it is just a coincidence; the result of robbed travelers being compliant.
Level-2 Adventure
Adventure Hook. The characters are hired by Duke Fassbenther to journey to Tallbeak Pass, investigate the presence of kobolds and dinosaurs, and find a way to defeat or drive them off. The trade blockade shall bankrupt his estate if it is not fixed soon. He has many investments that require the pass to reopen soon. The duke offers 300 GP for this job.
Hypocrisy. Locals complain that many have been robbed in Tallbeak Pass, but the nobles did not care about the problem until their financial interests were harmed by the closed pass. Many of those affected expect monetary retribution after the pass reopens.
Reaching Tallbeak Pass
After accepting this quest, the characters must leave Garland City through the North Gate and travel north for 2 days before reaching the outskirts of Tallbeak Mountain Range. The well-trodden, paved road leads straight to Tallbeak Pass. Due to the increased traffic, this portion of the trip is safe; there are no brigands in sight.
Affected Travelers
During the 2-day journey to the Tallbeak Pass, the characters encounter several merchants, travelers, and caravans that have been stopped and robbed by the dinosaur and the kobolds. They all tell the same tale: Through thick mist, the large dinosaur loomed ahead on the narrow road. A dozen kobolds then approached, stripped them of their valuables, and sent them back toward Garland City. No one dared oppose them.
This adventuring supplement is designed for D&D5e. On out Patreon page you can get it in PDF format (see image). Notice that some of the layout elements can only be presented as intended in the PDF layout (side-margin boxes and statblocks). The downloads include hi-res images for the maps.
The Ravine Encampment
Inside the Tallbeak Pass, the road enters a ravine; there is a small campsite where the cliff sides are almost 100 feet tall.
A horse-drawn cart, strewn sacks and crates, two horses, and seven merchants have set up camp here. They claim that the monstrous guardian of the Tallbeak Pass awaits 100 feet ahead. They have been here for almost 2 days, awaiting someone to reopen the pass. They claim many have gone north in the past few days, but all have returned empty-handed, telling the same story. A lad named Harli scouted ahead last night: “I saw the kobolds helping the dinosaur rearrange its skin. It was a strange sight, I tell you.”
Offer. Three merchants have stopped here to protect their goods. They offer a collective incentive of 100 GP to the characters in exchange for defeating the dinosaur.
Mystery. This is the first true clue that the dinosaur is false. Harli saw the kobolds re-arranging lizard leathers on their manufactured, dinosaur-shaped scaffolding (see Reptilian Confrontation).
We have been trapped in the ravine encampment for days. No one dares cross the mountain pass with that scaly monster roaming around…
We hope that you, brave heroes, are willing to risk your lives to reopen the road for us. – Harli.
Reptilian Confrontation
The fearsome dinosaur is fake. The kobolds created a dinosaur-shaped scaffolding structure with vines and branches, then lined it with lizard leathers. They use Fog Cloud and Minor Illusion spells for more realism.
Magic. Proficient mages are rare among kobolds, but some of them know simple spells (DC 14 Arcana). A Detect Magic spell reveals the presence of illusion magic.
A 20-foot-tall, bipedal reptile looms closer as it roars. Thick gray mist envelops its legs.
Combat. There are twelve kobolds. Four carry the make-believe dinosaur. If their ruse is revealed, they still attempt to fight. The kobolds flee the Tallbeak Pass if reduced to half their HP.
Treasure. After defeating the kobolds, a cavern lair is found. It contains half of the stolen goods. The rest is missing, but there are footprints that lead further underground. Alas, that is an adventure for another day…
| d6 | Details |
| A merchant and a lone knight on a horse-drawn cart arrive at the ravine encampment. The knight offers to help for 40 GP. | |
| Four commoners arrive at the Tallbeak Pass with sacks of grain to offer to the dinosaur as tribute. They think it may be assuaged this way. | |
| From the south come four thugs seeking to rob those at the encampment. They care not for the kobolds and seek to flee southward after. | |
| A gnome merchant arrives at the encampment. He offers the characters one Potion of Healing to aid them in their valiant mission. | |
| A scholar (commoner) arrives at the Tallbeak Pass and asks the characters to allow him to come see the dinosaur. He loves dinosaurs. | |
| When the dinosaur roars, the vibration causes a large boulder to fall on a random target. 3d6 Bludgeoning damage (DC 14 Dexterity save). |
This awesome cartography piece was featured in on our Patreon page and on issue 66 of Dungeon Vault Magazine.
If you like our content, please consider checking out our Patreon page so you can get the latest content in early-access, full HD maps, and the best TTRPG content!
