The Old World: Grim and Perilous

+ Renown
• Ranald's Cat: Someone grabs all the thieves'
tastiest treats. Jewels and works of art that
were considered unobtainable disappear
one by one. Behind these daring thefts is
someone everyone calls Ranald's Cat. Oddly
enough, their true identity remains unknown
even to you - the elite of the underworld.
It's time to change that.
• On the other side: Fear casts a long shadow
over the whole city. Grim Razor - the serial
killer - has already killed their fifth victim!
The city guards are helpless. The captain
of the guard contacts the PCs discreetly to
offer them cooperation, at least until the
killer is caught. Well, it's hard to deny that
gruesome murders spoil the business...
Seekers of
Knowledge
In the Old World there are always people
who are hungry for knowledge and driven by
the desire to explore the world. Either independently
or funded by wealthy patrons, they
lead expeditions in search of ancient artifacts,
traces of lost civilizations, or visit places associated
with outstanding figures from the past
- just to breathe the same air as they did. Seekers
of Knowledge are a party of individuals
who know that a good plan is half the battle,
so they meticulously prepare for every expedition.
However, the world can be surprising,
and its secrets can be as intriguing as they
are dangerous. Some people become too fond
of uncovering dark secrets, whether they are
tracking Chaos cults or discovering dark arcana
on their own.
Examples: Explorers, historians, tomb prospectors,
treasure hunters, wizards and scholars
who seek to unlock the secrets of magic,
trackers of dark cults
- Renown
• Barrow lady: Among the woods there is
a small hill, too regular for a natural creation.
The locals say it is the tomb of the
former ruler. They also say that in its vicinity
you can sometimes find a crying woman.
Apparently, whoever sees her will soon
lose a loved one.
• Living legend: The body of a troll slayer
known throughout the Old World was
found in a local inn. There is not even the
slightest wound on the body, and a smile full
of delight does not leave the deceased's face.
What could defeat such a seasoned warrior?
• Riddle: One of the PCs, reading some fat,
dusty volumes, inadvertently brought the
bookmark inserted into it closer to the
flame of a candle. The heat of the flame
made some strange marks appear on the
piece of parchment! Everything indicates
that the previous reader left him an encrypted
message.
- Renown
• Tomb Raiders: A group of miners accidentally
made an extraordinary discovery in
an abandoned copper mine - an ancient
dwarven tomb. The problem is that the local
dwarves don't really like the idea of people
plundering their ancestors' tombs, and the
local authorities want to avoid conflict.
• Bigfoot: An old teacher from a provincial
school has died and his heirs ask the PCs
to take care of his book collection. It turns
out that in his old age he became interested
in local folklore and he devoted a lot of attention
and time to the legendary creature
allegedly living in the local forests. Among
the notes there is even a sketch of this creature
and a cast of its foot.
• Man-Eater!: A group of adventurers claim
to have caught a giant man-eating pike and
are trying to extort a few pennies for its carcass.
The specimen is indeed impressive, so
it might be worth taking a little trip to explore
this beast's natural habitat.
- Renown
• The old house: It has been abandoned for
years and is considered haunted. While exploring
it, the PCs discover a mirror that
hangs in the attic. It's in a black frame
covered with strange markings. The world
seen in its reflection is slightly different. A
bit darker....
• Glade: Travelers repeat tales of a glade in
the depths of the Drakwald where flowers
bloom even in the dead of winter and predators
and beastmen give this place a wide
Chapter 10: Adventuring Party 187