Whispering Vale Chapter 1: Disturbance

The Whispering Vale has historically been a quiet stretch of wilderness. The towns nestled in the Vale’s embrace have always offered peace and a respite from the road.

Now, the Vale has become home to shadows and misfortune. Travelers go missing. Towns are attacked unprovoked. Brigands and worse roam the forests and fields as they see fit.

One such town, Wahyrst, has been your home for the last few evenings. The townsfolk had put out the call for adventures, or anyone, who could help them. They’ve paid you five gold each as a down-payment. The story goes that ten or so creatures came out of the forest and murdered, stole, and burned what they could about a week ago. They dragged people, livestock, and pets back into the forest. They haven’t been heard from since.

You’ve managed to track the creatures through the forest to cave a mile or so away. The entrance has two human skulls mounted on either side. It’s pitch black inside.

What do you do?

Sel'Via gets to the entrance, looking over to Trethor.

"I am Sel'Via...I suppose I don't have as fancy of a title as you. Pleased to meet you, though."

The sight of the two skulls does not really bode well in Sel'Via's mind, and she can only wonder what is inside. Curiousity gets the best of her, and she gets on the left hand side of the entrance and takes a quick peek.

Neither of you find secret doors out here. Just this single cave entrance.

Sel’Via, you peek around the side of the entrance and you see a tunnel heading deeper underground. You also see a man’s boot laying on the floor of the cave. Even with your keen Elf eyes piercing the darkness inside, you’re not seeing any traps or danger.

Sel'Via scoots herself to be behind Trethor.

"I see a boot ahead in there but not much else. Someone who escaped, maybe?"

The passage is about ten-foot wide and varies between seven and eight-foot high. You can walk abreast as you enter.

The lantern’s light pierces the darkness as you step inside the cave. Nothing but the boot stands out to your keen eyes. There doesn’t seem to be any traps to speak of. As you approach the boot, you realize the severed foot is still inside. A pool of blood has spread beneath the boot itself. Further inspection shows the boot and foot inside have marks where it was bitten off the rest of the body.

You also find a bow and quiver of arrows laying on the cave floor. All of it is very primitive and clearly not made by men, elves, or dwarves.

And then you hear it. From further down the passage you the sound of over a hundred legs skittering over the cave floor grows. Before you have time to react, an elephant-sized centipede rears up in the lantern light.

Trethor, roll a d6 for the party’s initiative, please.

You all are experienced and ready. In addition, you entered the cave with caution. You’re not taken by surprise and are prepared to fight.

The party acts first. What do you all do?

Sel'Via also moves to the right side of the centipede, and swings down hard with her longsword.

Trethor, you cry out and bring you mace down hard, but it bounces off the centipede’s carapace. You do leave a dent in the creature.

Sel’Va, you bring you sword down, but the creature’s body moves out of the way of your blade with incredible speed.

Celvin, your crossbow bolt goes wide and strikes the cave wall.

Trethor, the centipede snakes around faster than you can track and brings its powerful jaws down on you. You back away just in time, but it still grazes you (2 damage).

It’s the party’s turn again.

What do you all do?

Again Trethor swings at the creature, hoping to do more than just dent in it.

Sel'Via quickly manuevers to it's right side and swing down once more.

Trethor, your mace does little to the carapace of the Centipede. It feels like you’re striking a rock.

Sel'Via, your swing is true and the blade cuts into the anthropod’s body. The creature reads and screeches in pain.

Celvin, you use that same moment to launch you crossbow bolt. You place it between the beast’s jaws and it lands true. The centipede screeches again flails.

Knowing it’s outmatched and severely wounded, it snakes around to try and escape down the tunnel.

They party has one more chance to put it down for good.

It’s the party’s turn again.

"You want to bolt? I’ll give you a bolt!" Celvin shoots again.

Sel'Via gives chase to be behind it's head on the right, and then chops down once more.

Celvin, you arrow strikes, but bounces off the centipede’s carapace. The natural armor of creature is what has made this fight difficult in the first place. This is no exception.

Trethor, you have the same problem. You strike the creature, but it’s not enough. You leave no more than a mark on the creature’s back as it tries to escape.

Sel'Via, you pursue and take a moment to pick where two segments of the centipede’s body meet. You bring your sword down between them. The blade cuts through with ease and splits the centipede.

The creature screeches and thrashes. Ichor and internal bits empty out onto the cave floor and the centipede slows—then stops. It’s dead.

Some of the shapes that came out of the creature are internal structures. But one in particular is clearly the body of a man. He’s half digested and his foot and boot are missing. Even covered in goo, you can see he’s unarmed and barely clothed. His hands are bound, something the centipede couldn’t have done.

You find some other bits among the ichor. Some of it is too badly melted by the digestion process. But you do find ten gold, a rusted sword, and a silver necklace.

The cave continues deeper into the ground. From here, you can’t see how deep.

What do you do?

Celvin, you arrow strikes, but bounces off the centipede’s carapace. The natural armor of creature is what has made this fight difficult in the first place. This is no exception.

Trethor, you have the same problem. You strike the creature, but it’s not enough. You leave no more than a mark on the creature’s back as it tries to escape.

Sel'Via, you pursue and take a moment to pick where two segments of the centipede’s body meet. You bring your sword down between them. The blade cuts through with ease and splits the centipede.

The creature screeches and thrashes. Ichor and internal bits empty out onto the cave floor and the centipede slows—then stops. It’s dead.

Some of the shapes that came out of the creature are internal structures. But one in particular is clearly the body of a man. He’s half digested and his foot and boot are missing. Even covered in goo, you can see he’s unarmed and barely clothed. His hands are bound, something the centipede couldn’t have done.

You find some other bits among the ichor. Some of it is too badly melted by the digestion process. But you do find ten gold, a rusted sword, and a silver necklace.

The cave continues deeper into the ground. From here, you can’t see how deep.

What do you do?

Forgot to mention you all get 50 XP for your battle with the centipede.

You all press deeper into the cave. The main passage declines and winds further into the ground. You do see smaller tunnels that must have made up the Centipede’s home staggered in the walls and ceilings.

After a few minutes of walking, the tunnel opens into a chasm. A rope bridge spans across to the other side. The planks in the bridge seems sturdy enough.

Below you, the last rays of sunlight beam down through holes in the ground into a huge cavern. The light plays across shapes down below and you can make out the outline of structures.

On the other side of the chasm there’s a fork in the road. A hole in the far wall continues the cave deeper. You also see a set of stairs down from the ledge that plunge into the darkness below.

What do you do?

Trethor, the bridge is sturdy enough that it carries your weigh without issue. That said, you can feel that it wasn’t built to hold many haman-sized beings at one time. To keep it safe, you’ll all want to cross one at a time.

Everyone crosses the bridge without issue. As you do so, the distance below seems to yawn and almost draw you into the depths. You end up moving across the bridge one by one as you realize that it can’t carry more than one standard humanoid’s weight. Surely it was built for goblin use.

On this side of the bridge you have a choice:
- A corridor continues the cave deeper into the ground.
- A set of stairs descend the cliff face down into the depths below the bridge.

You move past the stairs and press down the corridor, keeping to this level.

At first, there’s little more than a stone corridor carved by ancient centipedes. Then, deeper, a chamber opens up ahead of you. A honeycomb of holes dot the walls. Each is a hovel for goblins. None are home, though. It’s quiet here.

With a quick search, you find three gold, several rusted daggers, notched shortswords, and salted centipede ready to eat. The last things you find are a locked chest and a worn journal.

Celvin, you work the crude lock, but it’s not giving. It could be smashed off the chest, but that would take time, noise, and a strong arm. The latch could be pried a little easier with a crowbar or lever of some kind.

Trethor, you flip through the journal. The writing inside is neat and intelligent. More so than a goblin. There are mundane entries through most of it about small town life. But, toward the end it depicts a brutal captivity at the hands of goblins.

The most interesting entries are at the end. They talk of the ruins below in the caves and their hauntings: strange noises, ghostly lights, goblins who go missing.

The last entry outlines a day the goblins find an artifact that the writer can only describe as an ornamental staff. It’s presence changes the goblins who become far more aggressive, cruel, and territorial.

Sel'Via waits to see how the chest smashing goes.