At the Gates ofHammelguard

Design NotesThis role-play adventure is brought to you bythe Creator Consor�um and we take care towrite our adventures so that they are systemneutral (they can be used in any fantasyse�ng for any game type). We’re alwaysa�er feedback however, so please leave acomment or message us.

This adventure is part of the bare-bonesseries which means we write the adventureand detail the personali�es but you decideon stats and abili�es of the characters andcreatures your players encounter. We findthis means you can run the adventure at anylevel in most RPG systems.

In this adventure there are references to theForgo�en Realms, the official se�ng forDungeons & Dragons - this is simply becausethis our chosen se�ng for most D&Dgames… you can change the names to fit anyse�ng or system you decide to use.

In this game it is important to let the playersknow that they are working to a �me frame.The best way to do this is not actually tell theplayers they are working against the clock,instead simply write or print out in boldle�ers ‘Day One’ next to any maps or in thecentre of the table. When the player partyrests for the night, update the no�ce to ‘DayTwo’ and so on. This should lead them tobelieve they have an undisclosed �me limit.

Encounter Breakdown▪ Arriving at Hammelguard,

discovering there was a traitor at thegates during an a�ack.

▪ Hun�ng for the traitor to stop thegates being opened a second �me.

▪ (op�onal) Hun�ng for the invasionleaders.

▪ Fending off the se cond a�ack.

The Plot TwistThe NPC, Castellan Rieger, is an impostor.The real Castellan is dead, replaced by ashape-shi�ing Ogre Magi, Rathatusk whohas assumed his posi�on in an a�empt toopen the gates. He hopes to allow thegreenskins to complete their desire forvengeance against the town for thecleansing of their people ten yearspreviously by the Northern Alliance. Rieger'sbody is currently under the floorboards ofthe local butchers, dragged there in order tomask the smell of decay. Riger’s face wasconsumed by Rathatusk in order to assumethe Castellan’s appearance.

HookThe party of characters are travelling todeliver supplies to the town ofHammelguard. They travel with EarnestGrath, a dwarven “supply specialist” fromNeverwinter, ac�ng on behalf of the

Alliance. When the player party arrives theyfind the townsfolk in a state of fear andbarely contained panic.

The town is in need of help, and CastellanRieger (the man in charge of the towncurrently) will offer them a place to stay withsupplies - if they can help defend the townfrom greenskins who are amassing foranother push on the town walls.

Local History▪ Hammelguard was the bille�ng post

for the combined armies of theNorthern Alliance ten years ago,which cleansed the area ofmonstrous creatures in an a�emptto bring stability to the region.

▪ Hammelguard is known in theregion for its stone wall - othertowns do not own such defences.

▪ The town is very old, da�ng backnearly 800 years and was onceconsidered a bas�on of humanity ina lawless realm.

▪ It is a solid 3 day ride to the nearestse�lement, so the town isconsidered the capital of the region.

Quest Comple�on▪ Find out who opened the gates and

possibly why.

▪ Repel the greenskin raiders for asecond �me, but this �me theirnumbers have increased.

▪ Cut off the head to the greenskinmenace by hun�ng out their leaders,a warlord named Ripjaw and theirspiritual leader, a female ogre namedPrecillus.

Introducing the Game▪ Players realise that the road has

been marched to a muddy pulp, as ifhundreds of humanoids have passedthrough here. Tracking reveals largebooted prints and some wolf printstoo. Much of the local fauna hasbeen trampled.

▪ Players arrive to deliver supplies, themerchant thanks them and paysthem.

▪ It is obvious that the town has comeunder some sort of a�ack. The wallsare scorched, there is the smell ofburning s�ll lingering in the air andthe short ba�lements are pi�ed andscarred. The gates looked to bepropped open at the moment bybeams and �mbers.

▪ There is a haunted, hundred yardstare to the people.

What Happened?Asking Around

If the players are struggling to engage NPCsin conversa�on, Earnest Graths cousin,Finrusk Olegsun is the town's prominentblacksmith and gossip (for a dwarf). He canflesh any details out, especially if the party iswilling to pay for his work.

▪ The town was a�acked three daysago by vile greenskins.

▪ A hushed rumour is that someoneinside opened the gate, forcingeveryone to fight for their lives. Theba�le was terrible but the raiderswere eventually fought off.

▪ Everyone is scared that anothera�ack is imminent.

▪ Castellan Rieger is le� in chargea�er the much loved Lord Wilksperished ba�ling at the gate with hismen-at-arms.

On Castellan RiegerRieger is a veteran of 30 years. His fatherwas a legendary elven warrior, his motherwas a human adventurer of humble origins.

Rieger is said to have a bi�er hatred ofgreenskins, having fought many wars in theDales further north in his youth.

Some people are worried Rieger’s historywith the greenskins is affec�ng him. Once ortwice he seems to have forgo�en himself,and seems quieter than normal.

Hun�ng the Traitors - RedHerringsThe Eagle Talon family have long preachedthat they were the original occupants ofHammelguard and have voiced their claimto authority several �mes in living memory.

The family are numerous but fell to hardshipseveral genera�ons ago. Since then theyhave openly tried to claim Lordship of thetown.

Hengist, the patriarch. An old Veteran of ahundred ba�les. Old, but tough as boots.Hates the greenskins as much as everyoneelse. Would never see his ancestral home fallinto the hands of the greenskins, no ma�erwhat the prize.

Freycasi, the matriarch, a wizened old croneonce said to possess a great beauty in heryouth. She is now bent and crooked anddreams of the old days. Bi�er and hatefulbut would never want her home destroyed.

Patrus, the youngest member of the familyand set to be heir of the family. Down toearth and doesn’t believe that the goldenage of his family can be found again, at leastnot in the tradi�onal sense.

The Merchants Guild are a group of greedyinvestors from the likes of Luskan,Neverwinter and Waterdeep. They want toturn the town in a bustling industrial mess,exploi�ng the land for its rich minerals at the

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cost of the local flora and fauna. Lord Wilksresisted their proposed changes andinvestment, knowing full well what wouldhappen to the town and the surroundingvillages if they had their way. Wilks was partof a council some years ago who reviewedthe tac�cs of the Merchants Guild and foundthem to be corrupt and greedy.

Benzil Adapar the chief Merchant Guildrepresenta�ve leads the guild inHammelguard. He despised Lord Wilks butwants to invest in the town. He believes thepeople will benefit financially, but overlooksthe hardships and corrup�on the guildwould bring to the town.

Atakar Thune is a red wizard from Thay whohopes to sell many workers (slaves) to theMerchant Guild when the expansion andindustrial plans come into effect. Althoughevil, as a red wizard of Thay he would rathernot see his financial prospects ruined by thegreenskins.

Where is Rieger Now?The imita�on Rieger is the male half of a pairof Ogre mages who have taken it uponthemselves to bring ruin to the region in anact of vengeance for the slaughter, ten yearsago. Although not na�ve to the region, thepair of Ogres hope that by ac�ng invengeance they can win the hearts of thelocal greenskins for leagues around, crea�nga base with which to bring even more ruin tothe se�lements, and eventually carve out akingdom. Rathatusk works from within thetown of Hammelguard and Precillus workswith the growing army of greenskins.

Ba�ling the GreenskinTribesThe Greenskins are lead by a very angryOrcish Captain, Ripjaw, who survived thecleansing as a younger orcling. He saw thefate of his people and has struggled to bringabout a new era a�er the genocide. Ripjaw,the name given to him on account of hispreferred killing method, only follows theOgre magi to fulfill his vengeance. He issurprisingly intelligent for an orc and learnsfrom his mistakes as a commander.

Once the tribes are sa�ated he will turn onthe Ogres who he suspects are trying tocarve a kingdom out for themselves.However, the female Ogre Magi, Precillushas won the hearts of many of thegreenskins, par�cularly the smaller goblinsand weaker tribes of orcs.

Pricillus has managed to create a cult aroundherself, claiming to be fledgling goddess whowill lead the oppressed greenskins into anew golden era. Her cult following isbordering on fana�cal. Killing Precillus willbreak the spiritual spell on the minds ofmany of the greenskins, allowing Ripjaw toassume control again, if he isn’t dead

already!

The player party has less than 36 hours tofind the traitor and deal with them. If theydo not, the greenskins will a�ack a second�me, this �me numbering in the hundredswith support from the occasional ogre andtroll to act as heavy support.

Failure to find the real traitor in �me resultsin the horde being allowed within the wall,crea�ng wholesale slaughter of thetownsfolk and making the fight extremelydifficult to win. The players should alwaysfear this happening, poten�ally losing theirown lives if they do not take precau�ons.

The invaders have set up a series of campsonly a mile away from the town,surrounding it. Ripjaw’s main camp islocated behind this circle of camps, wherethe strongest and toughest orcs have ralliedunder his banner.

Ripjaw has overseen the crea�on of laddersand portable wooden defences to aid in theassault on the town - he learned that tosustain the a�ack he must guard his ownforces on the approach.

Finishing the AdventureIf the players find out about Rieger they canconfront and remove him. If they follow oneof the red herrings, Rieger will do his best tohelp them, offering to reward them anywayhe can.

The greenskins need to be dealt with. It isunlikely they will be talked down from afight, but they may respond to a show ofstrength to make them think again.

Both Ogre magi need to be dealt with tocompletely neutralise the threat and stop itgrowing back.

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