The player characters are summoned to appear before the court of Earl Randalf and Countess Victoria Denali in County Denali at the city of Dagpear. It is here where the Earl and Countess seek their aid in rescuing Baron Valdux from being captured by an invading army of goblinoids. Currently the Baron’s keep is under siege and is likely to fall in the following days without significant aid. It is the hope of the Earl that by sending in a small force, they will go unnoticed while he has his army keep the goblinoids distracted. In a race against time the players will have the life of a Baron to save while the hopes of a desperate people fight back against a rampaging goblinoid army.
This is an adventure for four level 3 PCs.
Six W’s
Who are the enemies in this One Shot?
Goblins, Bugbears, Hobgoblins, Giant Rats, Animated Armor, Skeletons
What has happened to cause the PCs to fight?
The players are summoned by Earl Randalf and Countess Victoria Denali in order to mount a rescue mission for Baron Valdux. The Baron used the teleportation device to usher his family and their retainers to Earl Randalf’s lands while he stayed behind to marshal his forces. The Earl has lent his army to assist in relieving the pressure off of the Baron’s forces while the remaining townsfolk escape. This will give the players the gap they need to go through the hidden entrance to a winding warren that will lead to the castle grounds. From there it is a mad dash to get to the baron before the goblinoids do.
Where is this encounter happening?
This encounter starts off with the players being summoned to the throne room of Earl Randalf and Countess Victoria Denali in their walled city of Dagpear. It is here where the players will be introduced, made aware of the mission and furnished with the tools and equipment necessary to complete the task. They will also be given a retainer of gold in order to purchase additional resources from vendors in the town.
From there the players will trail behind the army until they reach the beleaguered keep of Coursbage Bank. It is here where the players will break away from the main army and reach a lightly protected farmhouse in order to access the warren’s tunnels.
Once in the warren’s network of tunnels, the players will battle it’s unknown horrors until they reach the magically sealed entrance protected by its guardian.
From there the players will make their way into the court yard as they make their way through a chaotic house to house fighting until they reach the entrance to the keep with an injured Baron and his seneschal holding off a wave of goblinoids invaders.
Once they reach the Baron the party will make their way to the teleportation room and escape with the Baron and his retainers before the goblinoids reach them.
When did this happen?
The goblinoid host has been a looming threat for months but they formed into a formidable army two weeks ago. It was during this time that they began their siege of Baron Valdux’s keep, Coursbage Bank.
The players are brought in to rescue the Baron fifteen days into the siege. From there it will take a full day and a half of travel for the army to march out and meet the goblinoid host in battle.
Why are the PCs here?
The players are here because they were requested by Earl Earl Randalf and Countess Victoria Denali personally after the party defended a caravan of merchants from goblin worg raiders a month ago. Since then these up and coming heroes have been the talk of the taverns here in Dagpear. It is here where the players are each presented with 300 GP and 2 potions of healing each.
How will the PCs deal with this problem?
Once the PCs receive their retainers of gold, they can prepare by buying and selling whatever additional equipment they will need before heading off to the embattled Cousbage Bank. The party will be given the magical crystalline key that is used both to unseal the locked entrance from the castle’s courtyard to the warrens as well as the activation for the teleportation device.
NPCs of Note
Earl Randalf Denali- A mid forties tawny skinned human male with a tall, muscular frame, heavy yet maintained salt and pepper beard and a stoic manner. He was a former general during the Valpresian civil war and was rewarded for his efforts with a comitatus of his own to rule. His seat of power is the fortified city of Dagpear.
Countess Victoria Denali- A young, raven haired and fair skinned half elven lady of quick wit and quicker reflexes. She was the royal knight captain to the former prince of Valpres who worked closely with Randalf Denali for many campaigns before marrying the Earl. She currently spends her days doting over her beloved son Calas.
Baron Castian Valdux- A human male in his early thirties with a stocky frame and reddish brown hair. He is the younger half brother to Earl Randalf Denali. As a knight of Valpres he fought along his half brother in many campaigns and was given this keep to aid in securing the vital trade routes for this comitatus. He sent his family ahead of himself to give his keep and its people a fighting chance against this massive goblinoid army.
Seneschal Lucas Graves- A powerfully built half orc with jet black hair and grayish skin who wields a wicked greataxe and polished half plate armor. He is the seneschal of this keep and he will not abandon its grounds or the men under his control.
Knight Captain Gorgas- A dwarven male with an immaculately cultivated beard of carrot orange, with copper colored skin and brown eyes. He is the one that recommended the party to the Earl upon hearing about their heroic exploits. He is their contact point for this mission and is the one to help personally get them to their mission point.
Maps
City of Dagpear
Keep Cousbage Bank
Abandoned Farmhouse- Any farmhouse battle map would do
The Warrens
Castle Courtyard Battle Any Castle Courtyard with a front gate battlemap
Keep Chase
Teleportation Room- A large circular room with a glyph in the center
Encounters
Farmhouse Battle- https://www.dndbeyond.com/encounters/005e9c8d-aaed-4809-9cc4-10624f71811e
Warrens Fight 1- https://www.dndbeyond.com/encounters/50b4db5c-9ce6-4457-94a3-d733530288c3
Warrens Fight 2- https://www.dndbeyond.com/encounters/4265e614-720b-4858-ab0b-f2b07da257fc
Warren Mid Boss Fight- https://www.dndbeyond.com/encounters/e6050ffb-a997-4a3e-936c-5fdd5d68053e
Courtyard Encounter- https://www.dndbeyond.com/encounters/55978f03-b212-4fcb-86ce-fc82409267b9
Keep Chase- As the party meets up with the Baron and make him aware of what has transpired the Baron will issue a general retreat for his men to go through the hidden warrens that are now cleared due to the party’s adventure. Once those men are safe the temporary defenses will buckle as a second wave of Goblinoids presses themselves through the keep courtyard. There will be a series of skills checks necessary to (6 in total)
DC 12 for success
-5 /failure equals 3 points of damage
some examples being
Arcane- knowing a spell to cast that slows down the progress of the horde
Animal Check- Using a well timed trick of food or a shiny object the PCs take advantage of the Worgs animalistic tendencies as they attack another goblin or chase a shiny toy
Acrobatics-Player scatters a slippery object behind them causing the enemies to be slowed down.
Epilogue
With the rescue of the baron and the remaining soldiers be evacuated Cousage Bank will fall to the overwhelming flood of the Goblinoid Host. This will lead to valuable trade being shut down to the south as the Goblinoid army poses a direct threat to the city of Dagpear. Yet, the Baron has been rescued along with seasoned soldiers, and the comitatus has new up and coming heroes in their ranks.
Shout outs as always to https://donjon.bin.sh/5e/dungeon/ and https://watabou.itch.io/medieval-fantasy-city-generator for being amazing resources in creating this one shot adventure!
