HighPost
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High Post
High Post is a location I created in college that had been formulating for a number of years. As I worked on the adventure, I found adapted some of the maps to fit what I wanted, I will identify the 'old maps' to the 'new maps' after the adventure. I had also been working on creating this environment with Neverwinter Nights, but got caught up in the mountains TO High Post, that all I think I eventually finished was the outside of the post, and the disaster there, I'll cover that later in a NWN discussion.
Introduction
High Post, situated in the mountains above The City of Holden in my WorldOfCoroth setting. A place high enough to see both sides of the mountain range, to warn Holden of any incursions from the desert people to the West, and anything that might be a danger from the rivers nearby and the plains to Holden's South and North.<
> A previous adventure, |The Lost Child was run to introduce the PCs to the city, get them involved with a rich merchant in need of help and set the scene of 'ill-winds blowing' for further adventures. High Post was the 2nd adventure of this 'plot line'.<
> So, having heard of the PCs exploits, a 'leader of the guard' type from Holden asks them to travel up the mountains to get to High Post, something has gone wrong up there and it is not responding to any signals or messages. A previous group has gone up as well, but no contact with them has been heard either. DM to use monetary means to entice them. Another well-armed militia is being sent up, but will take a week as it needs to be provisioned, and they are waiting for magical/clerical support from nearby schools/churches.<
>
Travelling to High Post
The trip up the mountain should take ~3-4 days, with an occasional wandering monster that fits mountainous terrain. Chance for PCs to use wilderness abilities/lore to indicate tracks of previous group going up.
The High Post
The post is the actual name of the main building in High Watch. Its tower reaches into the sky, towering over 40' above the tundra grass and few trees that exist here above the timber line. To give the PCs an idea of what they are seeing, the picture below can be provided them.
Main Gate
Upon reaching the main gate, an eerie calm surrounds the area. Signs of battle can be seen everywhere. The doors to the post have been blasted apart and there are dead guardsmen hanging limp over the parapet above.
1 - Main Courtyard
This once safe haven is in a shambles with blood covering the dirt surface and wreckage of the main gate all around. The main door to 2 - Stables has been torn off its hinges. 2 mountain vultures fly off upon seeing the intruders, disturbed from their feast. Tracking proficiency will show a mixture of tracks, human, horse and some 'other humanoid'. If critical success or spends additional time searching prints allow a second roll to show that there are also some wolf prints mixed in. It is possible to follow these tracks back outside of the post and towards The Steaming Pond area.
2 - Stables
The noise of flies buzzing around is the first clue as to what has happened here. The hay in the large area is sticky with blood, which covers the floor between the individual stables. In 5 stalls are the remains of the watch horses. Signs that the horses battered against their restraints/stall doors is evident. NO other horses will go near the stables, but there are a number of blankets and grain in barrels within this building.
3 - Presentation Hall & Foyer
Oddly enough, the large doors inside the foyer area are blocked with benches and spikes are jammed into what is left of the doors. This was an attempt to trap the werewolf<
> The presentation hall is relatively clear, its tapestries showing the guards manning the tower and scanning The Red Desert. There are a few blood trails that lead from the stairs & other rooms into 1 - Main Courtyard. The doors to 4 - Weapon Room and 5 - Equipment Room are in relatively good condition. The door to 6 - Ready Room' has been ripped off its hinges.
4 - Weapon Room
This room has a number of weapon storage bins and arrows that have been scattered and opened. This room does contain 4 longswords and 12 flight arrows in good condition. A few pole-arms are also here but have had their shafts broken, making them useless.
5 - Equipment Room
This room has been torn apart. Equipment of all sizes & types lie broken and scattered about. The body of a guardsman is impaled with a pitchfork and held up against the outside wall by it.
6 - Ready Room
The doors to this room have gotten much the same treatment as the main gate did. Blasted and torn, wifts of smoke still rise from its husk. The room shows signs of a failed defense. One body is torn in half appears to have been trying to go up the spiral staircase. The tables & chairs are pushed away from the doors from the blast. Two bodies of the town guard are here, their bodies mutilated and partially eaten. Blood splatters the walls. Investigation with Animal Lore or other type of wilderness-based knowledge will show the teeth marks to be similar to wolves bites. There are also tufts of wolf hair that can be found if someone investigates the doors.
7 - Watch Captain's Office
Two longswords hang on the wall, a map of the area also hangs here. The desk & chair occupy the left side of this room. The body of the watch captain leans against one of the walls, his face drained of all blood. A chain around his neck has a key to the desk drawer. The watch captain has been re-animated into that of a Zombie (AC: 8, HD:2, HPs:14 THAC0:19, AT:1d8. Once the PCs have entered the room, the captain will rise up slowly and with a moan attack them. d4 rounds later six other Zombies will appear from behind the group. **NOTE** If Zombies from #8 have already been called, skip these additional zombies.<
> The desk drawer is locked (-15% picking) and contains two potions (Oil of Fumbling & Potion of Delusion) that were left as a trap by the Drow. Both have scraps of paper on them, one indicating a running man, the other a man with his muscles bulging. (e.g. Potion of Speed / Potion of Strength)
8 - Lieutenant's Office
One longsword hangs on the wall below the space for one more. The door to this room is absolutely ruined and the place has been thoroughly ransacked. The body of the lieutenant lies prone on the desk. He will rise and attack when the PCs enter the room. (Zombie: AC: 8, HD: 2, HPs:15, THAC0:19, AT:1d8) d4 rounds later six other Zombies will appear from behind the group. **NOTE** If Zombies from #7 have already been called, skip these additional zombies. Beneath the desk is a hidden container (treat as secret door). Once opened (normal thieving) a scroll with [[[Image:HighPost$HandOutOne.jpg]]] is revealed.
9 - Parapet
Two dead guardsmen hang over the battlements with arrows through their throats. Bowyer/Fletcher proficiency checks will show these are extremely well made arrows, but the quills are not avian. The parapet provides a good close-range view of the surroundings of High Post.
10 - Antechamber
This room is relatively untouched by the ravages of whatever attacked the post. The sounds of a door creaking and banging can be heard up the spiral staircase.
11 - Practice
This room contains practice swords and a number of stuffed humanoid-shaped targets. The targets have all been shredded, the hay/bunting that was used scattered around the floor. Proficiency check (Alertness/or other) To see a raven with a beak full of bunting on the ledge of one of the slotted windows, it takes off once noticed.
12 - Watch Central
This room is where the operations of High Post were coordinated. The arrow slots provide good coverage of the plateau. All maps in this room have been shredded and the floor has the remains of four guardsmen. The bodies have been tied down, spread-eagled and eviscerated. Mystical symbols have been etched onto the floor and walls. (Will radiate extreme evil.) The blood of their bodies was painted into concentrically circles with a stool in the center.
13 - Mage Antechamber
9 -
old map
old environs
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