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Scales of Retribution | 3rd-level 5E Adventure

Added 2023-09-21 02:08:26 +0000 UTC

This Adventure Pack includes:

13-Page Adventure PDF
1 New Monster: Kobold Warlord
1 Full-Color VTT Map
9 VTT Tokens

Scales of Retribution

Scales of Retribution is a Fifth Edition adventure for three to five characters of 3rd to 4th level, optimized for four characters with an average party level (APL) of 3. When the mines of Blackstone Crossing are sabotaged by vengeful kobolds, a band of adventurers must navigate the treacherous Hillsmere Bowels and breach the walls of Witherbog Keep to unravel a web of corruption and injustice. Along the way, they must decide between bloody retribution or uneasy redemption.

This adventure takes place in the Freelands campaign setting and can be adapted to any campaign that has a ruined keep in a swamp with a few name changes.

Background

On the outskirts of the bustling town of Blackstone Crossing, nestled between craggy hills, lies Darkshard Mine. It is an economic pillar for the community, yielding precious gems and rare metals along with the eponymous dark granite used heavily in the town's construction. However, unknown to most townspeople, the labor force consisted partly of captured kobolds. The Doralli Mining Company, under the guise of convoluted worker contracts, forced the kobolds to dig tirelessly to speed up production. The company hid the kobolds in tunnels away from the other miners, keeping them blissfully unaware of their presence.

Krazzix Sharpclaw, a cunning and fearless kobold warlord, discovered the suffering of his kin at the hands of the corrupt mining company. Incensed and driven by a profound sense of duty, he gathered a squad of battle-hardened kobolds and waged a surprise attack on the mine. The miners stood no chance; many were slain in the chaos, while a handful—including the Doralli foreman, Eamon Cragjaw—were taken captive.

Krazzix and his followers retreated to Witherbog Keep, a decaying stronghold hidden amidst the labyrinthine swamp known as the Hillsmere Bowels in the Proudmore Woodlands south of Blackstone Crossing. The keep was home to the ogre brothers Magrath and Jimbo, and—after some convincing and offers of human flesh—the pair allowed Krazzix and his ragtag band to take up residence. The wily warlord knew that retribution would soon be knocking at their door and sent most of the refugees on their way as he began preparing defenses around the crumbling keep. Meanwhile, Krazzix holds Eamon captive in the keep's temple, giving each kobold a chance to take their vengeance on him—in blood.