Rumors
Rumors will primarily be picked up in the Medusa’s Head (area 3). Most attempts to gain rumors will require the purchase of drinks. Roll 1d20 (+2 if no drinks were purchased, +4 if not in the Medusa’s Head or other establishment that sells food and drink). If the result was less than or equal to the character’s Charisma, they gain 1d4 rumors from the following table.
1. Since there are so many goblins in the forest, there must be an old dwarf hold nearby.
2. Those who linger outside the walls at night are likely to disappear.
3. Those who died in the battle at the Mire of Princes rise at night to reenact their deaths.
4. All of the bodies left in the old cemetery are vampires.
5. One of the vaults in the old cemetery contains tunnels filled with treasure.
6. The animals in the Fogbound Forest grow to enormous size.
7. Lord Eckhard’s daughter once wandered into the Witchwood.
8. On Walpurgis Night the ghosts of some of the pagan townsfolk meet outside the wall to perform strange rituals.
9. An old pagan barrow lies somewhere in the Fogbound Forest.
10. Deep in the forest is an entire town filled with werewolves.
11. A strange cabin lies in the mountains to the East.
12. Bandits and fouler things prowl in the Great Swamp.
13. In the West, a dwarf known as the Mountain King is looking for adventurers to slay a wicked dragon.
14. A large black bear has been seen prowling both graveyards, chasing mourners away from funerals and making off with bodies in the night.
15. Creatures belonging to the White Lady have been seen ranging farther and farther from the Witchwood.
16. It’s not safe to travel along the roads during winter.
17. The Church of Law never really caught on in this area.
18. Beneath Halfdan’s tower is a maze of catacombs and laboratories staffed by the undead.
19. Smoking Devil Weed will give you strange visions, if you survive the experience!
20. Men and women wearing strange hats can be seen dancing in the forest at night.
The locals are much more willing to speculate on the nature of Nightwick Abbey. No roll is required to gain rumors relating to that haunted place unless the character’s Charisma is less than 7. If this is the case, roll 1d20. If the result is below 10, they gain 1d4 rumors from the following table. The amount gained for characters with a Charisma of 7 or better is the same as those who have made a successful attempt.
1. A number of the Sword Brothers survived the fall of Nightwick Abbey and now exist in the dungeons as twisted mutants.
2. The Abbey is so infused with chaos that it shifts and moves, creating new layers and chambers.
3. A wizard in the Brother’s employ built a strange, subterranean garden lit by a magical sun.
4. Nightwick Abbey calls to the creatures of darkness.
5. The dungeons connect directly to Hell.
6. Peasants began burning their dead to avoid the fiendish grave robbers employed by the Brothers.
7. The last Grandmaster of the Sword Brothers still walks the halls as an immensely powerful revenant.
8. The undead beneath the Abbey are controlled by a mysterious figure who appears as a skeletal king.
9. Strange robed figures have been seen darting in and out of the ruins.
10. Time flows differently down there.
11. Loggers who stray too close often go missing.
12. The Finger of Gax in the small chapel is a fake. The real one is in the dungeons somewhere.
13. The Baron of Averoigne’s estranged daughter lived in the Abbey for a time.
14. The Sword Brothers brought with them strange treasures from the Desert Lands.
15. After the Brothers were defeated, a group of priests and wizards used ancient and powerful magic to seal something in the lower levels.
16. A druid deceived the Brothers into devil worship.
17. The Abbey has become more active recently.
18. The King of Albion met his end beneath the halls during the siege.
19. Ghosts reenact the siege of the Abbey each night.
20. A great ocean filled with demonfish lies beneath the Abbey.
The veracity of these rumors is up to the individual judge. It is suggested that most have some cornel of truth, or at least lead to some sort of adventure. Wild goose chases are as unrewarding for the judge as they are for the players.
Recruiting Hirelings
There are two places in Nightwick Village one can advertise: the door of the Medusa’s Head and the village commons. Placing a notice in either costs 10gp, paid to Lord Eckhard’s officials, and attracts 1d4-2 individuals. Placing a notice in both simply attracts 1d4 individuals. The type of hirelings attracted, and the amount of money they’re willing to work for is determined by the judge using whatever system they desire.
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I underestimated the amount of material I had created. The last bit will go up tomorrow.
These are very good, and carry ample "tip of the iceberg" implications. I'd rather have a few good rumor tables hinting at secrets than a 25-page infodump.
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