The ties that bind, Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay
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The Ties That Bind
An Adventure for Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay
Written and Designed by: Bryan Kropp
Uneasy lies the head that wears a crown.
--William Shakespeare, Henry IV
Introduction
as necessary to suit your campaign. The
original setting was north of the Aver, between
the river and the Stirhügel, but should be
adaptable anywhere.
This adventure can be played at any point in the
middle of a campaign, or used as a way to
introduce a new group of characters to each
other under adverse circumstances. It should
provide sufficient challenges for a group in a
basic or first advanced career, and offer some
interesting situational roleplaying along the
way.
A restful nights stay at the Inn of the Falconer’s
Regret is interrupted when the innkeeper’s
daughter is spirited away through the wheat
fields by a river troll. The innkeeper’s son and a
hastily assembled rescue party set out in pursuit
of the troll. The beast is tracked until it
disappears into a hillside barrow, which houses
much more than just a fugitive troll. The Player
Characters will need their wits about them to
bring the girl out, but perhaps there is more to
be learned before the night is through.
The scenario begins during the harvest season at
a coaching inn situated in the fertile farmlands
fed by the Aver River. You can easily place it
in any isolated farming village along any river
in the Empire and even adjust the time of year
1
The Falconer’s Regret
duty compels them to help. If necessary,
cajoling, begging, and even offering of a reward
will be tried in turn by the frantic innkeeper and
his son.
A coaching inn should be a welcome sight to
any traveler after a long days journey through
the wilds. The Falconer’s Regret is no
exception. The largest structure in this small
and isolated farming community, the inn’s
success must be attributed to the fact that is it
the only civilized establishment for many miles
in either direction along the Aver. A very good
model of a coaching inn exists on pages 17-18
of the Game Masters Pack. Large fields and the
occasional farmhouse surround the inn, while
gentle hills lie just beyond the farmland.
Villagers can be seen bundling grain, and
harvesting squash.
The Chase
Tracking the troll through the fields of squash
and wheat proves fairly simple, as there are
large footprints, downtrodden crops, and
occasional traces of sludge left behind. Due to
these factors, a successful
Easy (+20%) Follow
Trail Test
will allow a character to stalk the
troll across the fields. Occasionally, the trolls
head and shoulders (and hence Esmer’s limp
body) can be seen above the stalks. At the very
least, the unusually strong odor will allow the
party to continue in the right direction, and give
the least seasoned traveler a chance to realize
that the kidnapper is a river troll. Fortunately,
the creature is heading away from the river, so
perhaps there is a chance of catching him before
he devours his victim.
Set the scene by describing to the players their
arrival at the inn. They will be coming in out of
a light rain. A warm fire provides solace from
the coming night‘s chill air, as locals in the bar
room chat excitedly about nearing the end of
Harvest-Tide. A jovial man wipes glasses
behind the bar, while patrons of the inn await
their meals, and servers bustle about. The PC’s
meals will be interrupted as you read them the
following highlighted text. Throughout the
adventure, highlighted text like this should be
read or paraphrased to the players.
Trolls move faster then humans on foot; making
it unlikely the PC’s will catch up to the
kidnapper. They may succeed in striking it with
a few arrows or other missiles but this should
not slow the troll due to his regeneration. The
constant drizzle makes the fields muddy, so
even horses will be unable to catch up. Hans
and the party will emerge from the tall grasses
to see the large from of the troll just
disappearing into a hillside cave. Fear that this
is a convenient place for the kidnapper to enjoy
his snack should prompt the group to follow.
Shouts from outside rouse everyone as a crowd
forms at the windows and doors. A woman can
be seen disappearing into the wheat field across
the road, slung over the shoulder of what
appears to be a troll! “No,” shouts the frantic
innkeeper. “Esmer, my beautiful girl, someone
help her!” It becomes apparent that very few
people here are willing to chase after the beast.
A young boy named Hans joins the innkeeper,
trying to recruit other to go with him to rescue
his sister.
The descent into the cave reveals a crude
circular staircase, leading to an ancient wooden
door that has been torn aside. Approaching the
door, anyone pausing to make a
Listen Based
Perception Test
will hear hushed voices and a
sound of grating stone coming from inside. A
little stealth at this point will allow the party to
surprise the group of goblins who are attempting
to move aside the heavy stone lid of a
sarcophagus. The sarcophagus lies in front of a
semicircular fountain, topped by a statue of a
mermaid with a dove perched on her finger.
As the adventuring party will be some of the
stoutest patrons in the bar, they will eventually
draw the attention of Hans and his father, Dieter
Plotreiber. It turns out that Dieter is not only
the bartender, but also the proprietor of the inn,
and he is desperate to save his only daughter
from the troll. Perhaps the PC’s will feel pity or
2
Alternatively, rushing in will put both groups on
an equal footing. The goblins, annoyed by the
second intrusion, drop the stone lid and draw
weapons as they face the party.
Talents:
Fearless, Frightening, Natural
Weapons, Night Vision, Specialist Weapon
Group (Two-handed)
Special Rules:
•
Regeneration:
At the start of its turn
each round, a Troll regenerates 1d10
Wounds. Wounds caused by fire cannot
be regenerated. This ability ceases to
function if the Troll dies
•
Stink Baaaad:
Due to the especially
unpleasant stench of a River Troll, any
opponents in melee combat have -10%
penalty to WS, unless they have no sense
of smell or some means of nullifying
said sense.
•
Stoopid:
Trolls are quite stupid and they
often forget what they are doing. Any
time a Troll encounters something that
might distract it, such as a fresh corpse
to eat or a particularly ripe smell to
investigate, it must make an Intelligence
Test or stop whatever it was previously
doing to engage with the new distraction
(in the above examples, eat the corpse or
investigate the smell). If the Troll is
being attacked, it is far less likely to be
distracted and the test becomes Easy
(+20%)
•
Vomit:
A Troll can vomit on a melee
opponent as a full action, spraying
corrosive and ill-smelling digestive
juices whose foulness defies description.
The vomit attack hits automatically for
Damage 5, and ignores all Armor Points.
It may be dodged by not parried (for
obvious reasons).
Armor:
None
Armor Points:
Head 0, Arms 0, Body 0, Legs 0
Weapons:
Claws and Great Club
Slaughter Margin:
Hard
Hans Plotreiber, Innkeeper’s Son
Career:
Servant
Race:
Human
Main Profile
WS BS S T Ag Int WP Fel
46% 38% 37% 34% 43% 28% 44% 39%
Secondary Profile
A
W SB TB M Mag IP FP
1
13
3
3
4
0
4
0
Skills:
Animal Care, Blather, Common
Knowledge (the Empire), Dodge Blow, Drive,
Evaluate, Gossip +10%, Perception, Sleight of
Hand, Speak Language (Reikspiel)
Talents:
Acute Hearing, Flee!, Hardy, Very
Resilient, Warrior Born
Armor:
None
Armor Points:
Head 0, Arms 0, Body 0, Legs 0
Weapons:
Hand Weapon (axe)
Trappings:
Good Craftsmanship Clothing,
Pewter Tankard, Tinderbox, Storm Lantern,
Lamp Oil
Hans is a free spirited young man who stands to
inherit his father’s position and business in a
few years. He is very concerned about his sister
Esmer, so will be very serious till she is rescued.
Once this is done, he will revert to his free
wheeling ways. If none of the PC’s manages to
keep the golden circlet from the sarcophagus for
themselves, Hans will pitch in to help the story
along.
River Troll, Hungry Kidnapper
Main Profile
WS BS S T Ag Int WP Fel
36% 15% 51% 44% 22% 18% 27% 10%
Secondary Profile
A
W SB TB M Mag IP FP
3
29
5
4
6
0
0
0
Skills:
Intimidate, Perception, Scale Sheer
Surface, Speak Language (Goblin Tongue),
Swim +10%
3
Quick Guide To The Barrow
4.
Growls can be heard coming from this
room, beyond the portcullis, which
proves impossible to lift. It does not
look as if the troll entered here, as the
portcullis seems rusted shut. This room
is not intended to be entered, but to
provide a distraction and mystery. In
reality, there is a Wyvern here, which
the undead have locked away. When it
expires they plan to make it into a
mount.
5.
Fog fills the passageway leading up to
the main audience chamber of the
Ancient Prince Osorkon. See the map
for where the fog begins and where it
starts to glow with light from the magma
pit. The warmth and humidity increase
near the entrance, and the fog obscures
the raised portcullis from view
1.
Entrance. A crude circular stone
stairway leads down from the hillside
cave entrance. The door to Room 2 is
barely still on its hinges.
2.
Crypt Room. Goblins have made a
campfire and several unlit torches hang
from the walls. The goblins are
attempting to open the ancient
sarcophagus, and have apparently
imprisoned one of their number under
the hinged floor grate. A mermaid
fountain bubbles on the south end, while
two statues of soldiers stand unmoving
at the north.
3.
Small Living Area. The door is slightly
ajar, and no fire burns in the fireplace.
However there is a pile of sleeping furs,
a chest, and another statue behind the
door. This statue looks exactly like the
two in the north corner of the Crypt
Room. However this statue seems only
half done.
The full-size map on page 6 shows squares in a
scale of 1 square = 2 yards/meters, which is the
standard WFRP scale.
4
The Barrow Under the Hill
place. While there may be growls coming from
within, this is just a red herring so don’t spend
too much time on it.
There are only four goblins trying to open the
sarcophagus, and they are probably not a serious
threat to the party. One of their number is
locked under the hinged grate in the floor, so
there must have been some squabbling. The
prisoner is likely to survive the fight unless the
PC’s are feeling particularly mean (he is fairly
helpless locked up under the floor as he is). He
or any other goblins that are left alive will
attempt to beg for their lives through gestures
and grunts.
The passageway just north of room 3 is blocked
by a cave-in. Underneath the rubble is a half
buried skeleton of some unfortunate who did not
make it out in time. He still wears a plate bracer
on one of his arms. There is a full set of plate
leggings buried under the rubble if someone
takes the time to dig the body out.
Room 3 may be of interest. While no fire burns
in the fireplace, someone might have holed up
here at one time. Another statue, identical to the
two found in room 2, stands partially completed
behind the door. There are furs piled on some
straw for someone to sleep on, and a chest. The
chest contains 7 shots worth of gunpowder, and
73 brass pennies. Once the group decides to
continue down the eastern passage, they may
notice occasional sludge and seaweed,
confirming their choice of direction.
They don’t speak any human language, and few
characters speak the Goblin Tongue. You may
also choose to have them attempt to show that a
large beast came through here, and that he was
bearing someone on his shoulder. Acting this
out for your PC’s could prove entertaining. The
goblin will mime a hunched beast with a
burden, and point down a hallway leading
deeper into the cave. One of the goblins has a
pouch containing 4 Mad Cap Mushrooms.
Where this passageway turns south, the party
will find the air growing damp. Shortly
thereafter, a dense mist will obscure vision
beyond 4 yards, and make it dangerous to move
at more than normal rate. At the next
intersection, be sure to inform your PC’s that
they can feel the humidity increasing, as sweat
beads up on their bodies. Also, inform them
that a dull yellow glow emanates from the
passage to the east.
A flickering campfire in the center of the room
has the goblins’ dinner cooking over it. Two
old looking statues stand in corners of the room,
and there are a couple of cobweb covered, unlit
torches in holders along the walls. The lid of
the sarcophagus lies most of the way open, and
something within glints in the dim firelight.
The lid can be removed completely with effort
from a couple of PC’s, revealing a complete
skeleton lying within. Traces of ancient,
decaying fabric cling to the bones, and a
delicate golden circlet crowns the skull. Most
tantalizing of all is a sizable cut amethyst resting
freely among the bones.
Anyone following the passage leading to room 4
to the north will quickly encounter a warm, 1
meter deep pool of water which stops at another
impassible portcullis. Feel free to have leeches
or something else in the water if you want to
make it a bit nastier. However, following the
remaining passage will cause the PC’s to
emerge into room 5. The mist extends some 4
yards into the room, so they will be completely
inside the room before the mist trails off and
they can see for normal distances.
Hopefully, your players will remember their
reason for being here, and continue to track the
troll. As they proceed down the hallway, they
will encounter an intersection with a portcullis
and two possible directions to go. One leads to
room 3, and the other leads further into the cave.
The portcullis proves impossible to open, as
large amounts of rust seem to have frozen it in
The first thing they will feel is the warmth of the
pit of magma at the north end. At the south end,
5
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