This is a small teaser of one side of the adventure that will take place in the next issue of Knowledge Arcana.  The other adventure occurs at the same time this adventure is being played 

Arcane Adventure:

Capture Noulph (Evil)

by Tyler Starke

Adventure Background:

Ten years after the fight with Wa'an Apla Teski the Wizards of Zala u'haff decided to expand their small region in search of resources. Members of the growing population packed supplies and headed east to search. When the settlers discovered an area with rich fertile land they settled the land with the intent to expand further from there. This area is now known as Storg, a small village that is surrounded by farmland. Groga was established as a trade port for incoming trade. Groga now manufactures incoming trade and disperses raw materials and manufactured goods to the other settlements in eastern Domer'el.

For fifteen years after settling the area Groga has expanded into a small city and continues to trade and manufacture goods. Storg has expanded the amount of land being farmed. And a new settlement, Sorva'ex, has been established to maintain order in the new region. However, behind the veil of the Prime Material Plane an evil force has been working to shape the lives of the settlers that dwell there.

For the ten years preceding the arrival of the settlements, Wa'an Apla Teski has been persuading as far as she can reach to believe in her as a goddess. This very persuasion has created the fertile land in Storg, which practically cares for itself. And it is this persuasion that now corrupts these three new settlements. Storg now entirely believes in the dragon as a goddess and they secretly worship her. Nearly the entire community within Sorva'ex believe in and worship the dragon, with only a few members of the legal system resisting her nefarious effects. Groga, however, has remained divided in their beliefs.

The constant movement of people in and out of Groga with trade orders has prevented the entire colony from accepting the dragon as a goddess, and most just pass her off as a bad dream. Yet, from those that remain two factions of trade and manufacture have been created. The Blue Stone guild are those who remain close to the wizards of Zala u'haff and have focused on progressing their power through the manufacture of magical items. The Black Ingot guild has recently changed their name to the White Dragon Clan because of their secret worship of the dragon, and it is their goal to rule the trade posts that feed the economy of Groga. These two factions now struggle for control of Groga and it is this very struggle of dominance that brings the characters to Groga.

The White Dragon Clan has been sending out invitations to interested parties in utmost secret to create a strong party that is willing to accomplish their task. This adventure assumes the players have accepted the invitations to work for The White Dragon Clan.

Synopsis:

The players have heard of the availability of riches and power in Groga. When they get to Groga they are informed of the wizards tower to the East and told a brief history of the wizards tower and the battle with Wa'an Apla Teski. To prove their fealty and that they won't summon the wizards, the players are asked to take control of a section of Groga.

When the players accomplish this goal they are then asked to take control of a small trade post that trades with Noulph. As the new owners of the post the players are asked to travel to Noulph with diplomatic reason to attempt to gain more of the trade income for the White Dragon Clan. If the players cannot find diplomatic reason then they are asked to take over the trade post in Noulph by force and send word back when they have accomplished the goal.

This is an adventure for players who wish to play evil characters.

Part 1 – Task of Allegiance:

In the city of Groga a civil war has been quietly starting. The dragon Wa'an Apla Teski has corrupted The Black Ingot, a merchant guild, and they have recently renamed to the White Dragon Clan for her favor. Others in the city have shrugged off the dreams as nightmares, and the appearance of the White Dragon Clan as an oddity, but the White Dragon Clan seeks to make those nightmares a reality. Quietly this group has prepared for the day that would arrive when they could spread the influence of Wa'an Apla Teski and take full control of Groga. This night they have decided to place those gears into motion.

The White Dragon Clan

The White Dragon Clan is preforming a séance ritual before enacting a plan to coup Groga for partial control The players may arrive in Groga at anytime before the ritual and explore Groga; their initiation is for a meeting at the White Dragon Clan house shortly after dark has set. When the players arrive the members are gathering in the dining hall of the clan house. This room is filled with exotic, scantily clad women who are dancing to music and serving wines, fruits, breads, and meaty grains which have been harvested from Storg. Benches and long tables fill the dining hall. A small group of bards plays eerie bass filled music while the progression commences. In the center of it all, on a makeshift throne, sits Mikael who stares intently into a pink crystal shard a little larger then his fist.

Mikael:

Mikael, a young fighter with dark shiny hair and a noticeable scar on his face, has earned his rank within the White Dragon Clan. All within the clan secretly worship the dragon and it is her who directs her believers to obey Mikael. The scar on Mikael's face was given to him by a wild cat he faced while exploring the woods to the south, and it was on this exploration mission that Mikael learned of Wa'an Apla Teski. The fighter was mauled, nearly to death, and knocked unconscious and during his time of unconsciousness he was visited by the dragon. Wa'an Apal Teski showed him many things in his comatose state while his company bandaged his wounds. She lead him across the landscape showing him Groga, the wizards tower, and even to her previous nest in the northern hills, and then she showed to him a place she considered safe hunting grounds. The fighter accepted her as a goddess and began taking orders from her and studying magic under her tutelage.

After all have gathered to the meeting house Mikael moves to the nearest table and spreads two maps out on it and announces a plan to take control of Groga. One of the maps is obviously Groga and the other was a map of the hills to the north.

“Groga, a mercantile center to the east of Zala u'haff. Since we have expanded we have been required to follow the guidance of Jonethan, but his small settlement is still highly dependent on the old kingdom and now us. Today begins a new era as we expand our clan and will soon be the resource center the pompous wizards look too. The nights mistress has shown to me a vein in the northern hill, rich with metal. But to ensure this remains ours we must first capture Groga.”

Mikael continues to explain his plan, pointing out portions of the maps and appoint groups to those areas.

Modular Components:

This adventure introduces modular components. A modular component is a section of the adventure that a GM can fill out and add as a new portion to the adventure. Each component is a part of the overall story but they are not necessary for players to complete.

In this adventure section:

• Capture South Groga

• Hold Back the Militia

• Stop the Spreading Word

One group will seize a section of Groga (Capture South Groga), one group will block the advancing militia on the main road (Hold Back the Militia), and one group will camp outside of Groga near the northern Trade Post (Stop the Spreading Word). As Mikael explains the three actions that will be taking place he also appoints these tasks to members who have gathered. As a sign to prove they are indeed feal to Wa'an Apla Teski, the players must attempt to Capture South Groga while the other groups assist them.

Mikael points out a symbol on the other map which is just to the north of Noulph, indicating the rich vein of metals. After the capture of of the southern half of Groga the groups are to return to the White Dragon Clan house for further instructions.