Family Recipes
The grandson of Whuthona Silverlode has gotten in too deep with the Tarrasch and left unchecked his bad judgement will mean doom for this poor woman.The Players
Grandma “Granny” Whuthona Silverlode
A long retired adventurer, Franny is quite glad the siege of Stonewood is over. Having spent the summer under brutal occupation and the long winter just trying to survive, this spring brings with it a renewed vigor that can only come from a newfound freedom. “Granny”, hearing that the adventurer’s would be returning to Stonewood, has decided to bake up a delicious batch of cookies as a thank you. Only one problem, her recipe book has gone missing!
Huldrek “Drek” Silverlode
The only grandson of Granny Silverlode, Drek has always had his problems. He’s not too bright and is always getting into trouble. After losing his parents at a young age, he was sent to be raised by his grandmother. Granny did her best, but Huldrek wanted more than she allowed. He craved adventure, but his grandmother, knowing where that type of life leads, forbade him from leaving the city. When the Orcs took over Stonewood, Drek saw the perfect opportunity. He tried to rebel and take down the orcs, but was quickly beaten to within an inch of his life. Not by the Orcs; they wouldn’t have left him alive. No, he was beaten by his neighbors, because anyone who defied the Orcs would bring their wrath down upon everyone. Chastised and wounded, Drek spent the remainder of the occupation holed up in Granny’s house. When the city was liberated, Drek took to his new found freedom by drinking and gambling in excess. When his money ran out, he started borrowing. Soon, no one would lend him money or give him drink and Drek found himself in trouble again, this time seemingly at the end of his rope.
The Tarrasch
The Tarrasch [Tare-ish or Tar-ash] are a group of non-orcs that are terrorizing the city of Stonewood at the Orcs behest. Already an established small thieving group based out of Stonewood, their leader was approached by a slick and charismatic person that convinced him to shift the focus of their robberies. Their goal now? To make people afraid. They are to kill, rob, torture, and sow fear, keeping any spoils that they procured. Those that are apart of this group are some of the lowest of the low. Nothing is off limits, including a drunkard and an old lady-dwarf.
Overview
Drek, out of money, desperate and gullible, was approached by someone in the Tarrasch. Drek was to be their eyes, ears, and muscle in this part of the city. He would take jobs and obey orders given, no questions. His loyalty came cheap. For just a few silver a day, enough to drink and gamble, Drek was a happy dwarf.
Drek, still in debt but with new friends, is becoming braver and braver. When an argument with his grandmother doesn’t go this way, he decides to take matters into his own hands and plots revenge for the slight. Knowing how valuable his grandmother’s recipe book is, he takes the book from its place and hides it in the cache of the Tarrasch. The symbol of the group is on the lid of the treasure box. Inside the box is the entire Tarrasch treasure.
Granny has no idea where her recipe book went. Last time she saw it, she had it on the shelf. She didn’t remember moving it, or even using it recently, but it is missing none the less. She tried to get her grandson to help, but he refused and left for the bar. He hasn’t come home in a few days, and now she is getting worried. Too old to go looking herself, Granny has put a couple of ads up in the local tavern.
Out in the woods, the Chest of the Tarrasch is being “guarded” by Huldrek. There is a ENCOUNTER CARD placed on top of the chest that needs to be returned to the NPC Shack if it should be found by accident. This would spawn AN ACCIDENTAL FIND.
If the PCs decide to go to Granny’s house HELP WANTED, Granny will greet them enthusiastically. Granny has never met a stranger and loves everyone. Conversation can include anything written in her history, information about her grandson that she would know, the orc occupation and how she did through it, hobbies, her baking, her book, her home, etc. When all information has been relayed and/or the PCs wish to leave, Granny will see them to the door and wish them a lovely day!
If the PCs track Huldrek from here using CRAFTSMAN SKILL: OTHER [Level 1] , they will track him back to the cache of the Tarrasch, where he is standing guard. [OPERATION: FIND HULDREK] If the PCs don’t seek to find him and do not find him in the woods, the mod is considered non-complete [after 12pm Saturday].
If the module HELP WANTED isn’t completed, Huldrek will turn up in the tavern at noon with his bottle being a loud and obnoxious drunk. [YOU FOUND HULDREK] (/202304/you_found_huldrek/ “[help_wanted”) He taunts the PCs to the point of confrontation, but before it comes to blows or duels, Huldrek makes a deal. He’ll give the group a map to a treasure cache if they let him go. If accepted, he hands a crude map to the group, and he runs off before anyone can change their mind. If it does come to a fight, and he is beaten down, the map is found on his person along with his bottle and daily earnings.
Once the cache has been cleared and the book returned CASH IN THE CACHE, the Tarrasch find out that they lost their loot and it is obvious who is responsible for the loss. Huldrek was on guard duty for the duration of the market.
Huldrek, found by the Tarrasch, is beaten by the thieving group for having left his post. He buckles under pressure and tells the Tarrasch what he did and who took their treasure. They release Huldrek to go and take a message to those that stole from them.
Huldrek, beaten and bloody, finds the group that found him or took his map or, lacking that, he goes to the tavern and begs for help. [EMERGENCY! HELP NEEDED] (/202304/emergency_help_needed/ He explains what happened, that the thieves want their money and items back or they will kill Huldrek. Before anybody can do anything, a messenger interrupts and gives Huldrek a box. In it is a severed finger tied with a lock of gray hair and a note that says:
Huldrek, how stupid can you be?
We want 75 Gold and the return of our treasure for the safe return of your Grandmother.
Bring the gold to our meeting place, alone.
We know you went to that adventuring scum in the city.
They need to stay out of this if you know what’s good for you.
At the spot indicated in the note, the Tarrasch have the area surrounded and can see the spot clearly. The Exchange
If the PCs allow Huldrek to take the gold and items to the spot alone, and come up with at least 95% of items and gold taken, Granny will be seen wandering into town, minus the finger, after the mod is completed.
If the PCs allow Huldrek to take the gold but follow, set up an ambush, set up a trap, try to negotiate, make a trade, just refuse to pay, or in anyway make themselves known to the waiting Tarrasch, the Tarrasch will attack the PCs. The Tarrasch will fight until there are five left, and then they will run. If any are able to run and make it back to Granny’s location, they will kill her.
If all Tarrasch are killed and none make it back, Granny will have to be tracked using Craftsman Other: Tracking [Level 1]. She is awaiting rescue, minus a finger.
Huldrek will suggest someone track her if the Tarrasch were not questioned before killing them. He will then suggest interrogating one of the Tarrasch. If a Tarrasch member is questioned, they will give up the location of Granny under threat of death or torture. Once, and if, Granny is found, she returns to her home with Huldrek.
Rough Timeline
Encounter Card- Friday through 12pm Saturday
Help Wanted- Friday night through Saturday morning
Operation Find Huldrek- Friday night though Saturday before noon
You found Huldrek!- Saturday at noon
Returning Huldrek- Friday night through Saturday afternoon
Cash in the Cashe- Friday night through Saturday afternoon
Emergency! Help Needed- Saturday afternoon
The Exchange- Saturday evening before reset
Misc: Granny's Recipe Book