Hellscape

Greydale's Parcel NPC's

Chapter 1: Greydale's Parcel

Greydale's Tavern

Your adventurers group at a tavern just outside of Baulder's Gate. Gathered by a fire awaiting a quest the bartender Oswin Greydale or Elara Greydale has in store for them. This gives the party a chance to share details about their characters such as backstory, as they begin questing with one another. Bartenders come by offering them free drinks courtesy of the Greydale as they are viewed as esteemed guests. After everyone has finished sharing details about their characters the bartender approaches and tells them of a Shaman just outside of town who has a parcel for him. This shouldn't be more than a grab and go mission and their rooms and food will be comped at any of the Greydale Taverns.

If they refuse they could always pay the bill of 200 gold pieces each, and be on their way.

If they accept the mission, Greydale will offer them a map to the Shaman's hut roughly 3 miles away. The Shaman's name is (Oren or Ashira Wildheart).

Here is a 40 width by 25 height battle map of Greydale Tavern. (Support Artist)

The Shaman's Hut

Your players arrive at daybreak, amid ancient, mist-shrouded trees, the Troll Shaman's hut—a ramshackle structure of gnarled wood and bloodstained stones—emerges like a dark appendage of the forest, its warped silhouette hinting at occult secrets and an ever-present, oppressive dread. The morning air vibrates with an unsettling energy as the creaking, timeworn edifice seems to whisper of forgotten rituals and cursed bargains, each groan echoing with the promise of unspeakable terrors lurking in the pale light.

The troll greets the players with a gravelly voice and a shadowed smile, his gnarled hands etching arcane symbols in the dim light as he performs a ritual that burns a spectral vision into their eyes: Granting them a boon to perceive invisible creatures for one week. With a crooked grin, the troll sends the party on a grim errand to claim a parcel from his dear friend (Dorian Grathmoor or Nyara Grathmoor), who are holed up at The Cursed Crow, a tavern near the Grimspire Graveyard, where whispers of lost souls mingle with the chill morning mist.

Here is a 35 width by 25 height battle map of Shaman Hut. (Support Artist)

The Cursed Crow

At the shadowed counter of the Cursed Crow, (Dorian or Nyara Grathmoor) leans in, their voice a soft tremor of resolve and regret. "I carry the parcel you seek, but it is bound to my shattered past." She confesses, eyes distant with sorrow. (Elira or Kaelen Grathmoor) —my dearest sibling—has been safeguarding it in our ruined home beyond the quarantined Grimspire Graveyard, a place sealed off since that vicious raid. "I cannot bear the sight of our legacy crumbling further, nor can I stand idly by while she suffers alone. Please, slip into that forsaken house, find her, and persuade her to release the parcel so that we might begin to mend what has been torn apart."

Grathmoor offers the party a cloaks of non detection, while wearing the cloak the party can enter the ethereal realm. The party is warned not to stay in the ethereal realm too long as horrors beyond our world reside there. Sending them on their mission.

Here is a 13 width by 13 height battle map of Shaman Hut. (Support Artist)

Grimspire Graveyard

At early night, Grimspire Graveyard sprawls in eerie silence—a forsaken necropolis of crumbling headstones and twisted trees, where two wraithlike groundskeepers patrol 120 feet away with an unnerving, spectral vigilance. The party faces a perilous choice: a careful DC 12 stealth check or the use of cloaks may let them slip by unseen, but any misstep will awaken these formidable guardians to unleash a relentless combat that shatters the graveyard’s grim calm.

The creaking door reveals a dim parlor where a lone child (Kaelen or Elira Grathmoor) sits amid faded toys, their form outlined by an unearthly glow that seems to pulse with quiet secrets. With an eerie yet strangely joyful tone, the child greets, "Ah, strangers in the dusk! I never expected visitors—it's been so long since laughter graced these halls!"

Their eyes glisten with a sorrow that belies youthful innocence as they confide, "The parcel you seek is hidden within my enchanted Teddy Bear, though some insolent old men have filched it away. And pray, have you heard any word of my parent returning? They've been absent for far too long, leaving this place haunted by memories." The atmosphere hangs heavy with the bittersweet promise of forgotten pasts and unspoken hopes, inviting the party to brave the forlorn corridors of the old house in search of lost treasures and perhaps a spark of redemption amid the lingering gloom.

As the players enter the other house combat ensues:

After vanquishing the threat inside the house, the party uncovers half of the enchanted teddy bear. Exiting into the cool dusk, they notice a shield emanating a soft, eerie glow; when one of them dares to touch it, a vivid vision overwhelms their senses—a memory of (Aldric or Ginevra Grathmoor) returning home from war only to confront marauding raiders, fighting valiantly until they are transformed into a powerful Wight before finally being laid to rest by (Captain Darrell Talhart or Captain Selene Ravenvault). The shield, now imbued with their sacrifice, stands as a silent monument to the parent's heroism.

No sooner does the vision fade than a spectral Zooklin appears behind the party, its voice tinged with melancholy and reproach: "Shame, they were such a great leader and an even greater parent—those Grathmoor children are missing out." An ornate hourglass (Krivlin or Clove) dangles from its form as it inquires if the party will help free its tormented spirit. Should they agree, the Zooklin reveals that a sentimental relic of (Aldric or Ginevra) is needed—a ring that has fallen from the shield. With the ring, the Zooklin commences his ritual, offering the party a short respite to recover an extra 1d6 healing before they are whisked away to the fateful night of the raid, where he implores that (Aldric or Ginevra) must survive at all costs, and battle erupts.

(Aldric or Ginerva) use the Spy statblock for this encounter to assist the party.

When the clash subsides, a mysterious force whisks the adventurers back to their present timeline; if (Aldric or Ginerva) falls, their soul is lost forever, but if they endure, the Zooklin delivers the missing half of the Bear, allowing the group to return to (Kaelen or Elira). At the old house, the child greets them as the reassembled Bear unexpectedly ejects a small parcel meant for (Dorian or Nyara); as they depart, distant footsteps signal (Aldric or Ginerva)’s return, mingled with the child’s wistful joy as the two souls vanish into the night.

Back at the Cursed Crow, the party informs the rogue that while it’s safe for the family to come home, their sister—or parent—is dead. (Captain Darrell or Selene Ravenvault) appear behind the rogue and place their arms around them, that's great news, as they stare the party in the face wondering if they know what happened at the battle of Grimspire Graveyard. The rogue reclaims the cloaks, offers shelter for the night, and by dawn leaves a key and a note reading, "Thank you for helping my family; this key will aid you in your next quest. Good luck!" Later, the party meets the Shaman, who—rolling on his encounter table—reveals with a wry smile, "Turns out I had the parcel you needed all along. I found it shortly after you left." Bestowing upon them an inspiration die to reroll any die within 60 feet, the Shaman sends them on one final roll on the Shaman Hut Travel table.

Returning to Greydale’s Tavern, the locals offer a new quest, a night’s respite, and 100 gold, marking the party’s ascent to level 2.

Here is a 25 width by 25 height battle map of Grimspire Graveyard. (Support Artist)