Adventure: Plight of the Ondonti

Plight of the Ondonti

 Suggested party size is 4 to 6, with levels ranging from 7 to 10.

5,000 XP completion reward.

 Basic Plot

     The Ondonti of the Violaceous Mesa have put out a call for a party of stout adventurers to help them in stopping a group of bandits that are terrorizing their lands. These peaceful and non-violent orcs are ill equipped to deal with these marauders and are willing to pay a handsome sum of 250 gold per party member, plus expenses for the removal or death of these vermin.
     The party can meet with the leader of the Ondonti, Flezin Smyth, at his forge. He is a mountain of an Ondonti with strong calloused hands, appearing to be in his early 50s. He will be the main contact for the party and allows them to stable their mounts in his barn and houses the group in his own home. His house is a large but simple steading. If asked he will tell the group that his wife has passed on and that all of his children are grown and have moved into steadings of their own.
     He is very motivated to get the party into finding the marauders plaguing the area, as one of the first steadings hit was home to his youngest daughter Slyph and her husband Gorgin Sheepherder. She was pregnant with her first child when their farm was hit and they were murdered. The bandits seem to have been particularly evil as they carved up the bodies of the Ondonti leaving them barely recognizable. Many of the sheep were also carved up and killed.

Part 1, Gorgin's Steading

     Gorgin Sheepherder's steading consists of a small two room cottage with a root cellar and a large barn with a, now broken, corral for the sheep. Before the attack, it is obvious to any person with animal handling or tracking, that Gorgin had a decent herd of 25 sheep. The single ram he housed is still lying half carved up in the back of the barn. Bits of flesh and bone from some of the sheep are still scattered among the corral. A ranger PC or skilled tracker can find the tracks of an unusual creature all over the corral and they lead out of it to the southwest.

Track left by the creature.

     The PC will not have any knowledge as to what make the tracks but will know they are bipedal as tall as and weigh as much as the average man. If the party follows the track it will lead them to the edge of the Violaceous Mesa. The rocky cliff side will require a mountaineering check to navigate safely and few mounts can make the climb down.

Part 2, Cave of the Dromaeos

     About 200 feet down the mesa is a large cave opening with fresh spoor from what a ranger or tracker PC would assume is a large bird. From within the dark wide cavern is the smell of sulphur, the sound of dripping water and the occasional fluttering of wings. A few paces into the cavern reveals that there are hundreds of bats roosting in this cave. As long as they party is quiet the bats will not rouse if they enter during the daytime, during the night the cave is full of the chirping like sounds of the active bats and any light brought into the cave will cause the party to be "attacked" by the harmless creatures. If they enter during dusk or dawn there will be no bats within, though their guano still is.

     Past the bat roost is a series of large stalagmites and stalactites. The area through this section is damp and full of slippery mud. Torches will sputter here from the constant dripping of water. The strange tracks can be found in the mud in this area. After a dozen paces the party will encounter a pack of six deinonychus dromaeosaurs (Int Average, AC 4, MV 21, HD 4+1, 33 hp, THAC0 17, #AT 3, Dmg 1d3/1d3/2d4, XP Value 270). These bird-like dinosaurs are smart hunters that are very quick and agile. The slippery mud does not impair their movement and they will use the terrain to their greatest advantage.

     Beyond the ambush of the party is a seventh deinonychus that merely watches as the battle rages on. If the party is successful at killing half or more of the dinosaurs this one will leap into the fray. This deinonychus is actually a Maurezhi that has assumed the form of a deinonychus. It will use its magical abilities to the fullest and has consumed enough corpses to be at full strength (HD 5+8, 48 hp, AC -3, Dmg 1d6+8, XP Value 6,000). This particular Maurezhi is very fond of the dinosaur body it has acquired and will only change shape to an Ondonti if it is forced to flee (using its invisibility spell-like power).

     If by some miracle the party is able to defeat these creatures a thorough search of the cave will allow them to find the Maurezhi's cache of treasure. It consists of a large chest with 1,000 copper pieces, 1,000 silver pieces, 1,500 gold pieces and eight sapphires (worth 1,000 gold piece each).

Part 3, Conclusion

     When the party returns triumphant from battle the Ondonti will celebrate their great victory with a feast and they will receive the agreed upon payment from Flezin Smyth. They will be welcome to stay at his home for as long as needed to recuperate from any injuries and then politely asked to move on to the next town.

     Should the Maurezhi not be destroyed and the party is able to make it back to the Ondonti and convince them that the danger has passed then the Maurezhi will quietly kill and consume one of the party members and take their place among them so as to better be able to spread its evil and chaos around.