Amberfell

Part 3: Crowning the Protector

In the afternoon of Day 3, the final competition will take place which will be attended by almost everyone – the Overall Archery competition. The top 10 contenders of the Distance, Accuracy and Power competitions are compared and any that fall into all 3 are automatically entered into the Overall. Walk-ons are also accepted, but are required to compete first to weed out the unqualified.

The Overall Competition is similar to the individual ones, but are harder and only using one type of bow (users’ choice – usually longbow). Tactical competitors do not use their full skillset during the individual but rather hold back and scope out the competition. Thus the Overall appears to be much more exciting and spectacular.

As you enter the archery grounds, you see several tables are set up with trays of large mugs and casks of ale. Someone nearby tries to take one, but a stern-looking woman holds him back, “These are for the toasts to the new Protector! You’ll need to wait like everyone else lad.”

At the end of the competition, a local woodsman who grew up in the area named Colton Romer is crowned Protector for the next year and the audience is all but drooling for the traditional toast. But in uncharacteristically reserved fashion, the now filled mugs are passed out to the spectators and Father Ganter makes his customary speech, ending with:

“The results are now official – I would like to introduce this year’s Protector of the Amberfell Archer’s Day Festival – Colton Romer!”  

Part 4: All Hell Breaks Loose

At the conclusion of the ceremony, everyone raises their mug in a toast and then people quickly make their way to the after parties throughout town. Father Ganter hurriedly announces that he will be holding a short service to honor Erastil at sundown which is in about an hour.

What the partiers don’t know is that Ganter was able to slip some of the Orvian poison into 12 of the 24 casks of ale at the Archery finals and the effects should take place within the next 30 minutes.

Ask the party where they would like to go. There are celebrations all over town, both inside familiar inns and taverns as well as the Biergarden. Colton will be attending the Biregarden celebrations. Once they have begun their celebrating, the following happens:

Food, drink and music is flowing freely now and you see many familiar faces among the crowds who smile and hold a cup in your direction. Spontaneous dancing has started and the younger party-goers are eyeing each other with both shyness and a boldness that strong ale can provide. Someone close by sits down heavily in a chair – you think to yourself “what a featherweight!” But then they pitch forward and onto the ground. Suddenly, people are toppling over like dominoes onto the ground. People start running in all different directions, crying out in horror and confusion.

There is a 50% chance that the party make have drank from a tainted mug, so have them roll % and anyone getting < 50 will need to make a DC28 Fort save or die and be transformed. Have everyone roll the % and Fort save? Any party member who dies, can choose a new character from the Iconics compendium.

Allow the surviving party members to examine the dead people, with a DC30 Med or Alch roll, they will discover that they have been poisoned, but are not fully dead. The skin begins to turn either gray or yellow and a foul odor begins to emit from the bodies. Almost as one, their eyes fly open and are either black holes with burning red dots of light or are dull yellow and green. They all rise to attack.

3 Ghouls, 3 Ghasts, 3 Zombies – award 1 hero point when defeated

During the poisoning event, Boris failed a couple of important rolls and ended up dead! Another local fighter, Valeros, was recruited by Joel.