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Forgotten Valley (Version 0.9.1)You wake up on your backs
looking up at a shimmering blue sky rimmed by mountains peaks. Lazy
white clouds crawl flat on their bellies over the mountains and up
towards the center of your vision. Not a puff enters the valley,
and as the clouds fill the sky, they give form to a clear dome that
reaches just higher than the surrounding summits.
You sit up and lean your back against a stone well to find
yourself surrounded by a crowd of curious onlookers dressed in
simple clothing. They stare with expressions that range from
amusement to apprehension and whisper to one another. Behind them,
the scaled roofs of wooden cottages extend in every direction. You
appear to be in a town center, but you have no recollection of how
you came to be here, or where here even is.
An old man with a tight squint and a curled walking staff steps
forward. His lips struggle into a smile, and he speaks:
I apologize for their staring. Theyve never seen outsiders
before. Nor have I. Tell me, how did you come to be here? He doesnt
wait for you to answer. You see, none of us have ever left the
valley. Truth be told, there are those here whove scarcely step
foot outside Neemay Village, he added, looking at pudgy boy too
well-grown to be hiding behind his mothers skirt. One thing is for
certain, youre not from around here
A finely crafted woman in formfitting skins interrupts the old
man. If youre lookin to get outta the valley, fraid it wont be as
easy as climbing over a mountain! Her pine green eyes stare beyond
you, focused on something distant. Believe me, Ive tried each one.
Still, theres gotta be a way out, cause critters can come in.
Yes, well, none of them have made their appearance so directly
or abruptly as these visitors, the old man chuckles. He looks like
a sack of antlers with a robe and a stick. Still, there is a keen
glint in the narrow slits of his eyes, and when he speaks the crowd
listens all except for the huntress and a fellow dressed all in
black, wearing a droopy jesters hat. Well, if its a way home you
seek, youll need one of us to guide you. Theres no sense in wasting
your time walking all the paths weve covered so many times
before.
And speakin of paths, says the huntress, adjusting the compound
bow strung over her shoulder, theres no one that knows the valley
bettern me. If you dont wanna get lost and eaten alive on your
first night, Ill be your guide.
Theyre not trying to pick delicious berries, woman, said the old
Sage -- not the most modern-minded man in the town. Their quest is
to solve this valleys greatest puzzle: how to open the door. For
that, they shall benefit most from my wisdom.
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And how long have you been tryin to figure that one out? the
huntress asks. 2 3 centuries, maybe?
With each passing day, probability smiles on me more favorably,
the Sage responds.
Wholl it be? the huntress asks you, stepping forward. The old
Sage steps forward as well, shadowed by the fellow in black. Why
are you stepping up? The Sage demands. Youd only be of use if they
had to kill something
The man in black laughs nervously. His mouth and eyes are at
odds, and you cant tell if he is smiling or frowning. Theres always
something to kill, he says softly.
GuidesPlayers must choose their guide: The Sage / The Huntress /
The Assassin. They may talk to other Guides in their respective
homes, but cannot take them along after making their decision.
The Sage
o Abilities
Once per Encounter per Player, a target may Draw a Card.
At the beginning of a Special Encounter, GM and a Player Draw
the top card from their Decks. If the Players card is equal or
greater to the GMs card, the Special Encounters Secret is
revealed.
Can decipher symbols and text, provides additional history at
certain locations
o Personality
The Sage is patient and kind, sometimes playfully sarcastic, and
always long-winded.
The Huntress
o Abilities
Once per Encounter per Player, grant a Card a Wild Range of
-1-1.
Adds a value of 5 to Player Draws for Encounter checks when they
travel from location to location.
Can tell Players the Level and Modifier of the Encounter ahead
of them before they commit to it, also provides players Maps of
Locations before visiting them.
o Personality
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Its hard to keep up with the Huntress, which is fine by her; she
likes to keep her distance. Shes quick to anger, but her threats
are generally hollow.
The Assassin
o Abilities
Once per Encounter per Player, cause an Enemy to Discard a
Card.
Adds a value of 3 to Initiative Draws in dim or dark areas.
Reduces prices everywhere by 50%.
o Personality
The Assassin rarely speaks. He only opens his mouth to say
something awkward or foreboding often both. His passions are murder
and mayhem.
Players may choose to attack their Guides at any point,
triggering an Encounter with that Guide. However, they will lose
the Guides bonuses and be unable to enter the village. They Respawn
at the Pond instead of the village if the party is Defeated.
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Special GM Instructions and SpoilersDo not read or show any of
this information to players!
PremiseThe players were summoned by the two-eyed inhabitants of
Neemay Village to free them from their prison. The two-eyed beings
are deceivers; they try to pass themselves off as simple,
kindhearted townsfolk for the most part, but they are secretly evil
beings. Long ago, the three-eyed beings sealed them away in this
valley to contain their evil. The three-eyed beings set up a
cathedral in the north of the valley to try to redeem the two-eyes,
but ultimately, their missionary efforts failed. The two-eyes slew
the clergy and corrupted the temple.
Win Conditions Players may either collect all 3 Golden Orbs,
bring them to the Keeper in the Ancient Ruins, open
the door and defeat the Keeper to let out all of the two-eyed
beings OR
They can figure out the two-eyeds plans and attack their guide
before they open the door, letting only themselves out.
LossDont forget you can adjust difficulty by raising or lowering
the Target Difficulty per player!
Except in Hardcore mode, Players do NOT reshuffle their Discard
Piles back into their Decks if Defeated at Level 1.
Easy: If a Player is Defeated during an Encounter, take no
further action. If all Players are Defeated, they must shuffle
their cards back into their deck.
Normal: If a Player is Defeated during an Encounter, that Player
must shuffle his or her cards back into his or her deck. If all
Players are Defeated, they must shuffle their cards back into their
deck, and the party is returned to Neemay Village.
Hard: If a Player is Defeated during an Encounter, that Player
must shuffle his or her cards back into his or her deck. If all
Players are Defeated, they must shuffle their cards back into their
deck, forfeit a piece of loot each, and the party is returned to
Neemay Village.
Hardcore: If a Player is Defeated during an Encounter, that
Player must shuffle his or her cards back into his or her deck and
forfeit a piece of loot. If all Players are Defeated, the game is
over.
* Note that if Players attack their Guide, the spawn location
changes to the Pond.
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Miscellaneous If players see their own reflection, they notice
they have 3 eyes.
o However, Players appear to have 2 eyes if they look at one
another.
Guides have 2 eyes, cant touch Golden Orbs, and sentient
creatures appear to be afraid of them
Whenever Players travel from one place to another on the Neemay
Valley Map, they must Draw a Card, and GM does the same. If GMs
card is higher = Random Encounter / If Players card is higher, they
choose whether or not theyd like to face a Random Encounter
o Random Encounters during travel are ALWAYS optional (no Draw
necessary) when Players reach Level 5.
Players are provided with map of Neemay Village.
Players are provided with Player Version of maps for locations
they visit.
Players use cards from their Discard Piles as currency at stores
and the Inn.
o They must shuffle cards equal to the amount paid back into
their Decks.
o Costs may be split amongst Players any way they choose.
All Encounters listed on the map are cleared after they are
Defeated. Otherwise they remain.
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Locations
Neemay Village (Location - East)Neemay Village sits in a small
clearing in the otherwise dense forest somewhere near the Eastern
Range of the valley. The wood that gives the buildings their shape
appears cracked and dried; you wonder how many passes over the
valley its taken the sun to age the lumber this way. Since your
arrival, the inhabitants have returned to their homes. The doors
are closed, and the windows covered in drapes, perhaps in fear of
your presence or to keep the chill breeze that blows constantly
through the dusty streets away from their hearths. The village is
skirted by wide fields of flattened dirt and stone. There are paths
running this way and that from the edge of town --the widest and
best kept lead South, West, and to the North.
Town Hall Home of the Sage
o The largest structure in the village by a good margin wears
the sign of town hall, but the clutter inside makes it clear that
no productive town business has been conducted here for years. The
Old Sage has appropriated the place. The old judges stand has been
converted into his desk, lined with melted candles and carpeted
with dusty parchment. He has several beds positioned about the long
hall, between wooden columns, nestled into corners, and even by the
door in case he gets tired at anywhere along the way.
The House on Stilts Home of the Huntress
o In the middle of an otherwise ordinary row of homes, sits a
narrow house on tall stilts. Theres no ladder or rope leading to
its raised porch. Its small, circular door gives the whole thing
the appearance of a bird house.
A shack of black wood Home of the Assassin
o On the edge of town, a good distance away from the nearest
home a shack of black wood juts crookedly out of the barren ground.
There are no windows and only a single door. You imagine there are
larger outhouses nearby, but this is the place the Assassin calls
his home. Closer inspection reveals that the already dark wood has
been darkened by various means. Some of it has been scorched, other
planks have been stained by some dark liquid.
A House with a Welcome Mat
o Two floors is as high as any of the buildings go in this town;
this house has that with plenty of headroom. Its windowsills have
fixtures where plants should have grown. The mat at its threshold
is faded, but fairly unused. There is a hastily written sign posted
on the door:
Inn! 10 for a Night of Good Rest; itll make you cocky.
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Cost for resting at the Inn is 10 cards split any way Players
choose
If Players rest at the Inn, they become Well-Rested and may Draw
an additional card at the beginning of the next 5 Encounters.
o The keeper is a silent old woman with a tattered shawl
fastened by a cloudy brooch. She holds a candle with a flame as
blue as her hair. She serves you food, prepares your rooms, and
cleans after you without uttering a word or sound even her feet
move silently beneath her floor-length dress. This big house is all
hers, and you cant imagine she gets many visitors. Shes the only
person in town that can match the Old Sage wrinkle-for-wrinkle. You
wonder what their history might be.
The house with a Broad Chimney (Blacksmith)
o Smoke billows from the only stone structure in town: a simple
chimney. The house beneath it lies wide and flat. Inside is a
workshop dominated by a forge. Theres a cot in the corner, black
with soot. The Smithy is a thick man with curly black growing from
most of his head. Its drenched in sweat or oil or both. You get the
impression that he sweats oil. Still, his tools seem to have
profited from the constant lubrication, apparent in the quality of
his work.
He offers to upgrade Common Loot to Rare for 15 cards
And Rare to Epic for 30 cards
The Bitter Smelling Home (Apothecary) (OPTIONAL)
o From the outside, the Apothecary is only identifiable by the
acerbic bite in the air. Inside, theres no mistaking it. The main
room is a cramped labyrinth of shelves full of smoked glass bottles
and clear jars filled with curious things. The man at the counter
is a wide smile beneath a steeple hat. Hes taken the liberty for
making a selection for you. Three bottles sit on the counter.
Show Players the Potions available for purchase (Potion
cards)
Each potion may only be bought and used once
o Potions are single-use, but may be used at any time during an
Encounter without the need to sacrifice a Joker. After its used,
the GM collects the card from the Player.
Guide recommendationsRegardless of the Guide chosen, Players
receive a map of Neemay Valley. Their guide will also recommend
that they travel first to the Beastman Village to the South, then
to the Fallen Temple in the North, followed by the Red Cavern in
the Northwest, and finally to the Ancient Ruins in the West.
Players may choose to ignore their Guides recommendation at their
own peril.
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Beastman Camp (Location - South)Goblins went green long before
anyone else. Their ecologically friendly thatch huts are held
together by what smells like past lunches. You marvel at their
ingenuity and frankly admire the patience and determination it must
have taken to construct multistory buildings, suspension bridges,
and even rudimentary lifts using such crude building materials.
A Plain Hut
o Its a hut like any other. Its plain, its hot, its stinky, and
you want to go home. You only wish you knew where your home
was.
A soft glint catches your eye in the pile of filth in the
corner.
Someones House
o You wonder why the Beastmen bother constructing such shoddy
huts. They offer minimal privacy and bad lighting. In the way of
shelter, the messy roofs would do little more than taint the
rain.
Theres a hollowed out stump in the corner with a lid on it.
Judging by the marginally higher level of craftsmanship, you reckon
it holds the only thing of value in the hut.
Thick-walled Hut
o This large hut is far smaller on the inside. The air is hot
and heavy with a stench that nearly knocks you off your feet.
As your eyes adjust to the rank darkness, you can see faint webs
of light emanating from behind the South West corner of the
hut.
Trying to break the wall triggers Encounter A: Diseased Wall;
-2.
You climb a rickety ladder
Tree Village
o As you rise above the roof of the hut, youre glad to be out.
The stench that surrounds the village seems like a sweet perfume
compared to the air below. A scattering of platforms with twig
rooftops litter the low branches of the barren oaks.
o A species of bridge connects this structure to a neighboring
tree. Its a collection of unshaped wooden sticks, tied together by
two lengths of twine.
If Players cross first bridge: You wobble your way over to the
first landing, which is not much sturdier than the bridge itself,
but at least its more ample. You see a chest in the
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corner and decide to loot it right away, briefly convincing
yourself that taking the contents out of the box will somehow
lighten the load on the platform: receive treasure: Common Loot.
The next bridge looks just as bad as the first, and whats worse,
theres a gaggle of Beastmen on it. At least they seem to suffer at
the hands of their own faulty construction as much as you do.
Wobbly Bridge effect for Encounter 6 on Tree Village = All
Players and Enemies must Discard a card at the beginning of each
Round
If Players Defeat Encounter 6: You finally make it across the
bridge and find an item of considerable craftsmanship enshrined in
an altar of wood and holy filth.
Teepee Tree
o The longer branches of this tree have all been hewn and leaned
against the husk of its trunk. The effect is a teepee-like
structure with sparse walls of dry leaves. You see movement
inside.
A ratty rope leads to a makeshift mezzanine.
o Teepee F2 If players are Level 3 or above, the floor breaks
under their weight and they cannot get to the Rare treasure.
Clearing in the Bramble
o Some of the less enterprising beastmen call clearings in the
bramble home. Theres no roof over their heads, but the breeze is
welcome.
As you round the corner, you find a flimsy box made of reeds.
You permanently open it with a swift kick.
Luxury Condo
o A small hut leads up to a treehouse that appears rather
luxurious by current standards.
An actual ladder, likely stolen from the village, leads up to
the tree houses above.
The second story is not exactly up to code, but you dont feel as
though the ground will give out beneath your feet with each step.
Some of the floor boards even look like theyve been purposefully
cut.
There is a tiny table with a note scribbled in what you hope was
a brown crayon. It reads:
The two-eyes, I sees em. No, not the meaty stuff they drape the
real uns. The darky ones with stabby eyes. Thems come at night. I
sees em. I have two-eyes too, but not like thosens. I hates their
eyes. Wish I not could see. Imma put a stick in my
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peepers, then wont see. Never see again. Bestest yet, I not have
two eyes not never more.
The Sage adds: It is a shame. Creatures of lower mind are more
prone to self-delusion and torment. They live in fear of natural
things like fire and darkness; fear often gives rise to hate and
hate to violence.
A borrowed chest sits in the corner of the treehouse.
King-sized Hut
o Of all the structures in the village, this is the only one
that appears as if it might hold up to a stiff breeze. A large oak
grows through the middle of the hut, and its lower branches support
a second floor. Instead of straw and leaves, the walls are
constructed from black wood, no doubt pillaged from raids on Neemay
Village, and only the most solid of former lunches were used as
mortar.
Its eerily quiet on the first floor. The doors to the hut are
wide open, there is a bit of treasure in plain sight at the South
West corner of the room, and yet none of the other beastmen dare
step foot inside. You wonder what sort of being could command such
respect.
The second story is even nicer than the first, if you can
believe that. The walls are pleasantly open to the air. The breeze
that rolls off the mountain range behind the village is as close to
a custodian as these beastmen will ever know. The floors here are
almost clean.
In the far corner, betwixt two ornate treasure chests, sits a
wiry Goblin wearing a headband, no shirt, and tattered Gi
pants.
o Bruce Gob-Lee Encounter
The S chest contains Special Loot: Golden Orb
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Fallen Temple (Location - North)A lofty tower rises between two
peaks. There is a narrow ravine in the foothills, which appears the
only way in.
- The Sage tells a story of the evil cult that once inhabited
these ruins. The villagers were able to break its dark spell over
them and fled. Since then, the temple fell into disrepair. That was
many, many years ago.
Rocky Passage
o Entry to the temple is gained between a narrow ravine carved
naturally into the rock. It is the point where two mountains meet,
and it is only wide enough for a sidle at points.
The passage opens to an abandoned courtyard with a dry fountain
at its center. Vines have split the stone with the work of many
years.
Church
o The church is made of a black lumber not found in the valley,
which hides the evidence of a fire that hollowed it out long ago
until you are at its fallen doorway. The roof has collapsed,
reducing a section of pews to splinters. The light flows freely
from above, but the stained glass windows are opaque with soot.
There is an altar at the head of the church that has escape
destruction.
If the players destroy the altar, they find treasure: Common
Loot.
Prayer Garden
o The hallway leads to an open air chamber filled with lush
green vegetation and flecks of colorful flowers. Traces of
stonework, etched straight into the mountain, are barely visible
through the overgrowth. Benches line the rock walls; perhaps this
was once a prayer garden.
If Players sit and Pray: Spectral symbols of the 4 elements
appear before you, Earth, Fire, Wind, and Water.
If Players touch Earth: The ground opens up and they must face
Encounter F: Random Undead. This Encounter carries an additional
Deuce Loot Bonuses (this is added to whatever bonus the Difficulty
Draw imparts)
If Players touch Fire: The vines that surround the Prayer garden
are consumed in a brief but intense flash of fire.
Then if they check beneath a bench, they find treasure: Common
Loot
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If Players touch Wind: A voice from the past whispers through
the wind, We cannot save them; they lack sufficient sight to see
the error of their ways.
If Players touch Water: You hear a distant bubbling. (The
fountain in the Courtyard entrance is running again).
Once Player touch any of the elemental symbols: Upon having
touched a symbol, the other elements scatter into nothingness.
Cemetery
o Vines have overrun this garden, embracing six tombstones.
There appears to be no need for the black metal fence that encloses
the area. It was built so close to the rock wall that it touches it
at points.
If the players remove the vines from the tombstones, they
trigger Encounter A: 1 De-Vine Lady (From Beastman Set); -1 (Random
Undead);
If successful, the vines are removed, allowing the players to
read the tombstones
o Each of the tombstones has a name and a number. The names mean
nothing to the player and are written in strange glyphs, but the
numbers are legible.
o Here are the numbers on each tombstone: 4, 7, 15, 8, 18,
27
The players may choose which tombstone to interact with
according to its number.
If they disturb a tombstone other than the number 18, they spawn
a Encounter C: Random (Undead Deck)
If they defeat the Encounter, they receive a three-eyed
skull.
If they disturb the tombstone with the number 18 on it, they
stone moves aside, the ground opens, and it reveals a treasure:
Custom Quest Loot.
Foyer
o The wind ceases to blow as soon as you step in. The air here
is cold and dank. It carries a note of decay that seeps into your
every pore, draining you of the will to continue.
o Global Effect Decay = Players must Discard any Heart or
Diamond cards with a value of 3-6.
Statuary
o A single square of daylight beams in from a hole in the
ceiling where a stone is missing. It didnt go far. The large stone
fell on a statue below, reducing it to rubble on a pedestal,
but
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five other statues still stand, each with 3 eyes. One of the
statues has an inscription in a language that appears as familiar
scribbles to you.
The Sage can translate: The dead need no guardians. We watch
over where it was buried.
Dormitory 1
o The fire never reached the dormitories, though it doesnt
appear as if anyone has lived here for decades, maybe centuries.
The sheets on the bed look like scraps of cheese cloth, eaten by
moths, and the cups and saucers on the tables are nearly brimmed
with dust. A filthy mirror leans against the corner.
This mirror is too dirty to reflect anything.
Players must wash it in the running fountain (in the courtyard
after getting the water to flow again by touching the Water Element
in the Prayer Garden) in order to see their reflection in it or use
it to deflect light.
If Players look at their reflections in the mirror, they see
that they have 3 Eyes. Their guide then destroys the mirror and
says: Dont trust anything you find in this haunted place.
Dormitory 2
o The beds here have been overturned. The candelabras look like
jagged white hills of spiderwebs growing out of the table. Though
layers thick with webs, the candles appear to have held up to the
decay.
If players attempt to remove a candle:
They must face an Encounter B: 2 Spiders (From Wild Set);
+0.
If they are successful, they receive a candle with an
inscription:
o The same symbol appears twice, separated by an arrow that
points both ways.
o Sage translates the symbol as Light.
o Players must take the candle to a light source in order to
light it.
Black Passage
o This hallway is pitch black. You cant see your own hand in
front of you.
If players come to a stop, they can hear the wind whistling in
an almost inaudibly low tone here.
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If the players have a light source, they can see the Hidden
Chamber.
The lit Candle counts
Or they can deflect the beam of light in the Statuary towards
the passage using the cleaned mirror.
Hidden Chamber
o The stones on the northern wall are loose and give way to the
slightest push.
Inside the plain room is a locked chest. The old lock crumbles
beneath your touch.
Chapel
o The black passage suddenly opens up to a chapel filled with
colorful light, bleeding through a circular stained glass window in
the ceiling. The window depicts a scene of a large, three-eyed
figure bathed in rays of light extending its arm to smaller,
two-eyed figures at its feet. Looking back, you see that the light
from this room stops at the threshold to the black passage as if
shadowed by an unseen door. v
A group of shadowy figures sit in quiet prayer in the corner of
the room.
If Players approach or Attack: You have awakened the
congregation, and the pews fill with ghastly figures. Encounter D:
LVL 1; + 4 Random (Undead Deck)
o If the encounter is Defeated two doors open, one in the North
West corner, leading to the Sepulcher, and one in the North East
corner, leading to a small reliquary with a chest.
Sepulcher
o This room is lined by stone shelves separated into rows and
columns. There is a three-eyed skull in each of the many cells
except for one.
If the players place a three-eyed skull into the empty cell
without removing any of the other skulls, the floor opens and a
treasure appears (Epic).
Tower Basement
o You enter a small, square room. The spiral staircase in the
corner is made of finely worked metal. You can only catch glints of
it in the faint light.
Tower Floor 1
o There are no windows here. A dim light enters the room from
the stairway above. You hear the sound of unnatural shuffling in
the corner.
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Tower Floor 2
o The windows here provide light, but not much of a view. Vines
reach up the rocks of the nearby mountainside, almost close enough
to touch. The air here is lighter and easier to breath. (Decay no
longer affects players.) A single vine has grown over the window
sill and crept a finger towards a small chest in the corner of the
room.
Tower Floor 3
o Wind and light flow freely into this room. An entire section
of the wall has crumbled away. You can see the rest of the ruin
temple filling the sprawling ravine below.
Tower Floor 4
o A Skeleton in black robes sits on a chair with a tall back.
Its cocked head is burdened by a crown covered in spiderwebs. It
gazes out the window, the hollow sockets of its two eyes filled
with the light of the open sky. Beside him lay two large
chests.
If Players look at the reflection of the two chests through the
dirty mirror: You peer at the reflection in the mirror. The
skeleton appears normal. The right chest is there, but there is no
trace of the left chest. You look back and see it sitting right
before you, but it has no reflection.
If Players touch the left chest or the skeleton: The skeletons
crown begins to glow. It hovers up and the bones are lifted to
match it. A fiery blue light begins to glow in the skulls empty
sockets. Encounter E: A Necromancer and a -1 Target Difficulty from
the Undead Deck.
If the Players open the right chest without touching anything
else: They get both the Quest and Special Loot: Golden Orb.
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Red Cavern (Location just North of Ancient Ruins)A large cavern
like an open mouth pierces straight into the red cliff side. A soft
glow can be seen coming from the entrance at night.
- The Sage adds that this is the mouth of the mountain. Folks
say you can hear its breath from the foothills on a quiet
night.
Entrance
o The walls of the cavern are smooth, almost glassy. The stone
is red with veins of yellow and faint purple. There is a steady
pulse in the air a slow rhythm to the ebb and flow of the wind.
Dead End
o The tunnel ends abruptly. There is a silhouette burnt into the
rock; the charred bones of a lost adventurer lay in a pile at its
feet.
If players inspect the remains, they find treasure: Common
Loot.
Chamber
o The tunnel opens to a chamber. Stoney stumps jut out of the
rock as if something had hewn the stalagmites and stalactites that
once grew there. You notice a pile of clutter in the far
corner.
Drakes Hoard
o The light glitters in this room. The floor is alive with shiny
trinkets and baubles. Most of it is useless, but amongst the hoard,
youre able to find a few objects of value.
Hatchery
o This chamber is filled with what you initially take to be
round stones. Closer inspection reveals them to be eggs, covered in
stony hide with scales that look like dried earth. There are more
trinkets and shiny things strewn about the floor, and you notice a
pearl necklace half buried in one of the eggs, almost as if its
being nourishevd by treasure.
If players look at the eggs more closely, theyll notice that one
of them is softer and still fresh.
If players open/destroy any egg, it triggers Encounter A:
Drakeling Level 5; +1.
o If it was not the fresh egg the contents are: a Drakeling and
partially digested treasure.
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If players open/destroy the fresh egg they receive treasure:
Epic Loot.
Dragon Hoard
o Shimmering light ushers around the bend ahead, changing from
red to blue to yellow and back at a steady rhythm. Every minute or
so, the rock beneath your feet begins to vibrate, and the dust is
unsettled. After the bend, the tunnel suddenly opens into a vast
chamber filled with every color of light. At its center sleeps a
dragon with glowing scales that flitter through the range of the
visible spectrum.
The walls are lined with treasure chests half-buried in gold and
jewels.
The S chest contains Special Loot: Golden Orb
Ancient Ruins (Location - West)Columns and crumbling walls break
the cadence of the trees as you near the rolling foothills of the
western range. The stones that still stand are weathered but
skillfully cut. Much of what remains is hidden amongst a field of
willowy grass, but higher on the hill there is a larger structure
where the grass does not grow. Its columns and walls lead straight
into the mountainside.
Entrance
o The light-blue stone that lines the doorway was clearly not
cut from the mountain. It hums softly beneath your feet. The minute
vibrations are not steady, but you can discern no pattern. Somehow,
you find them pleasant, but your guide seems unsettled.
Ruined Passage
o The hallway ahead has collapsed, impeding further passage.
Beneath the rubble, you notice the skeletal remains of an
outstretched hand, and in it you find something valuable.
(treasure: Rare Loot)
Terrace
o The Terrace once granted a panoramic view of the Neemay Valley
below framed by fluted columns at steady intervals. Trees and brush
have grown to claim much of that view, but the sky is still
visible. The shell that domes the valley glows in pearly swirls of
light when viewed from this angle.
Naos
o The central chamber of the temple is littered with fallen
stone and debris. Two of the six pillars have fallen and most of
the ceiling has come down with them. The remaining four pillars
reach for the open sky. The walls are filled with weathered murals
and glyphs, some too faint to read. Certain panels are particularly
eroded; close inspection reveals faint traces
-
of chiseling and scouring. On the opposite end of the chamber,
carved into the mountain itself, is a giant face, staring without
trace of expression. The pupils of its three eyes are hollow
recesses.
Further inspection of the murals reveals one image of particular
relevance
Show Players mural image A.
The Sage recounts a story of how The Keepers sealed this village
away forever.
o If Players ask why: The Old Sage is silent for a moment. There
was no room for us on their world, they said.
If player place a golden orb in the stone face, it begins to hum
and glow softly.
If players place 2 golden orbs in the stone face, the Annex
Passage Opens.
If players place 3 golden orbs in the stone face, the face comes
alive.
Encounter A: Gatekeeper; +2
o If the Gatekeeper is Defeated, the path to the Gateway is
opened.
Opisthodomos
o This chamber once housed many of the temples sacred objects.
The chests that fill the various shelves have all been opened and
emptied. Some still have keys wedged into their locks, but none
seem to have been pried open. One of the chests is covered in dark
stains. Its key has been bent in the lock rendering it useless.
If players inspect the stained chest: Its empty, but heavy. An
image is carved on the bottom of the inside of the chest.
Show Players mural image B.
o The Sage adds: The doors of this place are opened with threes
it matters not the shape of the door.
Further inspection: The chest seems shallow.
Players must break the chest open or remove the bottom panel to
reveal treasure: Special Loot. Temple Key
Annex
o A semi-transparent figure floats at the threshold of this
windowless room. Its face is blurred and flickering. Behind it, you
can scarcely make out three chests on three pedestals. The
-
ground along the walls seems to glitter with small fragments of
what appears to be a shattered mirror. Encounter 6
If Player show the Illusory Guardian the cleaned mirror (from
the Fallen Temple): It prevents all of its Face based
abilities.
The shattered fragments in this room seem to irritate the
Illusory Guardian, but dont have the same effect
(If Encounter 6 is Defeated) Three sturdy metal chests sit atop
half-columns against the far wall. The light is dim in this room,
but what you mistake at first for vines appear to be wires
connecting the chests to one another.
Draw three cards from the Loot Deck and place them face down.
These correspond to each of the chests. Players may pick one. If
they dont like it, they can put it back, but the chest will clamp
shut, never to be opened again. You may take that card off the
table. If the Players choose to keep one, the other chests remain
closed. In the end, the Players will only be able to take one Epic
Loot card, but they get to choose whether to keep the one theyve
picked or gamble on another chest containing something better.
Shrine
o A statue of a three-eyed being stands between two torches in a
small recess built into the side of the hall. It extends its hands,
palms facing up, each holding a small offering plate. There is an
inscription at its base: Everything in Balance
If Players touch the Statue: Encounter B: Temple Statue; +1
Reliquary
o Another room filled with murals depicting two and three-eyed
creatures. This one appears to have avoided the weathering and
erosion of the drawings in the main chamber, despite the three
open-air skylights built into the ceiling.
Show players murals C and D.
Of C the Sage adds: A shiver of anger tugs on the Sages face.
This is a foul image, he says, a reminder of The Keepers
cruelty.
Of D the Sage adds: I see now! says the Sage. Only a single door
stands in our way. If we can open it, Im certain you will see your
home.
Gateway
-
o An ample, but unadorned room houses a single archway, rising
from an altar at its center. There is light coming from somewhere,
your eyes cant quite tell. Its diffuse and fills the chamber. The
air between the stones of the archway seems to tremble like a
mirage.
If the Guide still lives: Your guide stands ominously at the
doorway, wearing an unnaturally wide smile. A voice youd not heard
before comes from the Guide, whose mouth remains still. Thank you,
Travelers. You have opened the door to our prison, and for that we
will permit you your lives. The Guides flesh falls to the ground
like discarded clothes. A jagged shadow springs from the remains,
its eyes glinting with delight as it lunges towards the archway. A
storm of shades howls through the ancient ruins and follows the
Guides shadow into the archway. In an instant, the torrent has
vanished into the shimmering portal. You approach the archway, and
upon touching the trembling membrane at its threshold, you are
transported to your home to find it in flames. You have
inadvertently unleashed an ancient evil upon your world; this is
immediately apparent as more memories begin to sift through your
mind like fog. Tired though you are, a new quest lays ahead: to
right your own wrongs and rid the world of these foul tricksters
once and for all.
If the Guide has been Defeated: You cautiously approach the
archway. Its stones hum in your presence. Their song is soothing
and nostalgic. You reach out to touch the trembling membrane and
are transported to your home in a brilliant flash. As your eyes
recover, you find yourself surrounded by familiar faces. Memories
of your lives cascade through the fog thats clouded your mind like
a broken dam. The sensation leaves you lightheaded, and for a
moment you lose your feet beneath you. Someone catches you before
you fall, and more than one shoulder is offered for you to lean on.
Welcome home, they say.
-
Places of Interest Neemay Pond (Location just West of Neemay
Village)
o In the dead center of Neemay Valley lies a nearly perfectly
round pond. The water is as still as glass. A large shadow
periodically sweeps across the surface.
The Sage adds that this pond is called The Navel. He says a
great beast fell from the sky and made this hole; the rain turned
it into a pond.
o If players get close to the surface, they trigger an
Encounter: Pond King; -2.
Players have 2 Deuces added to their hands at the end of the
Encounter for the purposes of Loot. (Let the Players know about
this up front).
o Once the Pond King is Defeated, Players may look at their
reflections on the surface.
If they do, they notice they have 3 eyes.
Gnoll Merchant (If Players Draw an Ace during an Encounter Draw
as they travel between locations, they will meet the Gnoll Merchant
instead of dealing with a Random Encounter)
Huntress: I hear something truly rare in the valley She points
at the bend in the path up ahead. Its a merchant, it wont harm you,
she says as she melds into the bushes behind her.
o You hear a faint jingling ahead. You pause, and in the
distance a small figure hobbles around the bend. It appears to be a
dog of sorts, standing on its two hind legs, which tremble under
the weight of the large sack it carries on its bent back.
Sage: His eyes widen to nearly normal width. Oh, an
Entrepreneur? Havent seen their kind in the valley for many years.
Many of his ilk are the masonry of the beastmens huts. The old man
keeps his distance, encouraging you to deal with the gnoll.
Assassin: The Assassin says nothing, but appears excited as the
rickety gnoll hobbles towards you. The gnoll freezes in his tracks
when he catches a glimpse of the man in black.
o The gnoll begins to paw at the various trinkets and weapons
that dangle from the strap of his rucksack.
Players may choose to Attack the gnoll or let it continue its
actions to attempt to purchase its wares.
-
If Players wait: The gnoll places his trinkets on an
outstretched blanket and urges you forward. Most of his collection
consists of shiny bits of trash, but some of his wares actually
seem to have purpose.
Common Loot (Cost 15) (Limit 3)
Rare Loot (Cost 25) (Limit 2)
Epic Loot (Cost 40) (Limit 1)
If Players attack: The gnoll reaches into his sack and rolls out
a large beveled cube. It tumbles towards you like a giant dice and
comes to rest with the face containing six dots facing you. The two
halves of the dice are painted either red or black, joining in the
middle in a sort of jigsaw pattern. The cube shakes, jumps, and
splits in half, forming two humanoid golems with 3 eyes a piece;
one is red, the other black. (Encounter: Gnoll Merchant / Players
have Initiative)
Dead Tree (Location Northwest) (If Players spot the small dead
tree on the Neemay Valley map and decide to go there)
o A barren tree stabs out of the sheer rock of the red mountain
foothills. Only puddles of moss grow here; there isnt enough soil
for vegetation. This tree appears to have learned that the hard
way, but not before considerable growth. None of its roots are
visible. The trunk crashes straight through the stone like the
shaft of a giant javelin that had fallen from the sky. Your guide
refuses to go near it.
o There is a buzz when you near it. You look around for bees,
but there isnt a single bug anywhere in sight. (Give Players the
choice to approach or stop.)
If Players Approach: You discover the source of the buzzing is a
silver bead embedded into the wood. (Give Players the choice to
remove it.)
Guides cannot touch the bead(s).
If Players are holding the bead: The buzzing intensifies as you
walk around to the other side of the tree. (Players can use the
bead as a divining rod to pin point the place that another bead is
buried within the tree.)
If Players peel the bark in the place where the buzzing is
greatest: The bark is old and brittle; it give way, and you find a
second bead lodged into the wood. As you reach to free it, the bead
itself leaps from the wood and attaches itself to the first bead
with impossibly strong magnetism. The buzzing continues, but doesnt
appear to be much louder or softer anywhere around the tree.
If Players leave the area: The beads cease to buzz as you enter
the forest.
-
If Players walk around the area: The buzzing intensifies as you
work your way down a ravine. It becomes painfully loud, and just as
you consider turning back, another bead flies out of a crack
between the rocks and fastens itself to the other two, forming a
sort of triangle. The buzzing softens into a soothing hum, and the
three silver beads begin to glow.
Looking upon the beads triggers faint memories. You sense they
contain great knowledge. Pressing them to your forehead will
immediately bestow you with an entire level of experience. (Players
may use this whenever they choose. They do not Draw or Discard
cards, nor do they reshuffle their Discard Piles into their Decks,
they are simply counted as being 1 Level higher.
When Players use the beads: You press the beads to your forehead
and they are immediately absorbed into your skin. A rush overcomes
your mind. You remember many useful things, not your name or where
you came from, but still, useful things! Level Up!
GuidesPremiseWin ConditionsLossMiscellaneous Neemay Village
(Location - East)Guide recommendationsBeastman Camp (Location -
South)Fallen Temple (Location - North)Red Cavern (Location just
North of Ancient Ruins)Ancient Ruins (Location - West)Places of
Interest