The Great Dolmenwood Treasure Hunt, part 1: Overview

 Jack Edward has pointed out that it would be cool to have more treasure hunt modules for existing hexcrawls, and one would be especially neat for Dolmenwood.

I happen to have recently gotten Dolmenwood, and wanted to take a crack at it. You'll want to reference your own copy of the hexmap to get a full picture, but you can get a good idea of how the piece fit together even without it.

I would like to break this up into a few posts.

• Campaign framing, timeline, and general details (this post)
• Minor tweaks to hex descriptions
• The Lost Wing, a dungeon
• The Dawnward Path, a fairy road. Would also contain a coda on the project

art by Honor C. Appleton

Framing the Hunt

To set things it motion, it would be neat to give the starting PCs a connection to the Summer Lodge. This should be pretty convenient, as its diverse membership might plausibly have drawn characters of any ancestry or class, so the PCs might be descendants or former accomplices of the lodge's latter-day followers, or they might have a fondness for tales of the lodge's exploits and a desire to restore its purpose.

To give the hunt its proper thrill of adventure, it would be a good idea to set up the Cold Prince as the main threat of the campaign, waxing in power as his spies seek tirelessly to aid his return to Dolmenwood. The Heavenseeker Key, which can cut off fairy roads into Dolmenwood, would serve as a potent check on the Prince's ambitions. See p. 91 of the DWC for suggested events to transpire during the Cold Prince's attempted return. The PCs will also have rivals, in the form of the imperial inspectors described later in this post.

Like many treasure hunts, there is a "most efficient" way for the adventure to go, but as the hunt is simply a framing to direct and enrich the enjoyment of the hexcrawl, the DM doesn't need to worry too much about the trail going cold or the party skipping a few steps. That said, the basic route is for PCs to

1. learn of a powerful artifact, the Heavenseeker Key, upon investigating the Summer Lodge in Blackeswell. This will lead them to seek
2. the original lodge headquarters by finding the Shrine of Saint Grace near Orbswallow, and from there
3. consulting a Summer Stone in the Ring of Chell. This will tell them to seek
4. the Derphan Gate in Brackenwold, which will lead them to
5. the original lodge headquarters. The information they find there will take them to
6. the very cusp of the Nag-Lord's Palace, where they will find the Heavenseeker Key.

Timeline

• 850 years ago, the Triple Compact between the king, the church, and the Drune was formed to throw off the Cold Prince's dominion over Dolmenwood. Using an artifact called the Heavenseeker Key to close off fairy roads into Dolmenwood which the Cold Prince would otherwise have used to reinforce his demesne, they eventually triumphed. After this incredible success, everyone wanted to keep the good times rolling, and agreed to form a group to further cooperate and keep a vigil against the Cold Prince. The kings of Brackenwold called this group the Summer Lodge. The church's contribution formed the Triclavian Order (as the compact was "three nails in the coffin of the Cold Prince"), and the Hooded Men who volunteered for this most un-Drunish task called it Sucha Geas (lit. "The Pitying Endeavor").
• 825 years ago, this project was already broadly disdained and irrelevant as members largely withheld aid and lore from each other and the lodge's patrons withheld funds and resources from it. For the rest of its long existence, the lodge would go through long periods of inactivity punctuated by the membership of some of the stranger renegades and wildcards of Dolmenwood's history, including…
• 700 years ago, the Aubrathon began his great project, a renegade Hooded Man who so offended the cabal's leadership that formal endorsement of the lodge was ended.
• 200 years ago, Dewidort of Smerne rose the infamy, a highwayman who so outraged the land that his records of his membership in the lodge were destroyed
• 100 years ago, the elfmaid Grace-Before-The-Unjust-Punishment, whose remarkable life of unheard-of fairy devotion to the One True God and whose many controversies eventually led to a schism that destroyed the lodge for good. After her fall, the Heavenseeker Key was lost for good.

Tweaks

Make sure historians and sages have appropriate knowledge of the Lodge. Anyone who knows the details of politics between 850 and 100 years ago would have heard of it under one name or another, though they may not know its real purpose.

Nobility, audrunes, and high-ranking members of the Pluritine Church have a 1-in-6 chance of knowing about the lodge and putting some stock by it. Their reaction roll with the party might determine whether they respect the lodge's mission or consider them interlopers and trouble-makers.

When humans encountered on the road roll a reaction roll of exactly 5, they are informants for the Imperial Inspectors, and will turn them onto the PCs' track when appropriate. The Imperial Inspectors are essentially a rival adventuring party, agents sent from outside Dolmenwood by the kingdom Brackenwold is only a duchy of, questing for the Heavenseeker Key on behalf of their masters. They are respectable and strong, but bad at actual dungeoneering in a way that will surely make the players feel like genius underdogs.

• Fritz Nemrot, knight 6. (Vert, six pizzles paly argent) Ring of Vanishing (DWC p. 411). Ring of Facility (cursed to be unremovable, -3 Intelligence) Single-minded and dogged, Fritz leads the party and deals with any hirelings they pick up.
• Kezimira Drupaski, hunter 7. Refused by Hell after offending its strictures, if slain Kezimiria has a 3-in-6 chance of coming back from the dead next Colly. Otherwise, she rises as a wraith (as banshee without wail, DWM p. 13) bound to the Ring of Facility. Somber, distant, laughs at small things.
• Greta Kindergraber, magician 5. (Book of Received Insights: Firelight, Vapours of Dream, Invisibility. Rites: Knock, Lightning Bolt) Many blackbird tattoos, and the Internecine Amulet (resembles a bird ouroboros. When you eat a blackbird raw, gain it as a tattoo. Spend the tattoo to turn into a blackbird until you touch the ground.) Most disdainful of Dolmenwood's whimsical character.

Whenever a random adventuring party is encountered on the road, strongly consider having it be the Imperial Inspectors, 1d6-1 hirelings, and any NPC the players know that they might have managed to recruit.

Details

Lodge Signs

These shibboleths and symbols are found in many surprising places where the lodge once had business.

• Three nails in a row, sometimes taken as three T's, or even three signs of Cwrnus
• A snowflake with four major points to form an X
• A three-fingered salute that starts at the middle of the forehead
• A lockhole with five lines coming off of it
• A blue cravat
• A fan in warm colors

d20 members

Use this reference when you need to source old letters, mention historical names in passing, ex chetera. Doubles as a chronological list. Feel free to change names as needed to implicate PCs' ancestors.

1. Euthraid Polyp, Hooded Bride and first lodge grandmistress. Active 850 years ago.
2. Lord Medigord Helmwit. Cousin of the King of Brackenwold and founding member. Active 850 years ago.
3. Father Chade, a friar and friend of the High Abbot of Wellskeep. Founding member active 850 years ago.
4. Saudreth Owlhame. Hooded Man active 800 years ago. Spy for the Cold Prince, eventually found out and executed.
5. Sir Ulva Monocleese. Active 800 years ago, won the rare affection of the witches of Dolmenwood. Remembered fondly by them even now.
6. Ormyr Aumyr, the Aubrathon. Active 750 years ago. Difficult to summarize, but among other things advocated extreme intellectual openness, war against the mosslings' gods, and the punishment of malicious thoughts. His conduct led to the end of the Hooded Men's formal involvement in the lodge.
7. Haldrime Elderscorn. Hooded Man active around 750 years ago. Lover to and supporter of the Aubrathon.
8. Ghrend the Player. Breggle minstrel and recorder of tales active 700 years ago.
9. Margerie the Wanderer. Cleric of Saint Sedge most well-known by church scholars as a recorder of herblore. Active 600 years ago.
10. Brother Shankius. Holy man and sage active 500 years ago who dedicated himself to the study of fairy roads.
11. Just-War-Nourish, an elf engaged with the lodge 450-500 years ago. Agitated for more active measures against the Cold Prince, aggravating the Hooded Men with pointed study of the Summerstones
12. Lord Neville Brackenwold, the third son of Duke Brackenwold. Active 400 years ago, he was a reliable patron to the perenially-uncoffered group.
13. Modesty Coole, a magician active 350 years ago. Interested in the society of snow elves, she compiled many of the scattered accounts of their court and the lands of Frigia.
14. Mother Mere, a former abbess from outside Dolmenwood whose extensive pilgrimage within the confines of the wood made her a remarkable authority on its shrines, byways, and hidden places. Active 250 years ago.
15. Dewidort of Smerne. Highwayman. Joined 210 years ago, but shamed the lodge. 4-in-6 chance his name is crossed out of any record
16. Dame Theatrice Woldeleigh. Active 150 years ago.
17. Grace-Before-The-Unjust-Decree. A pious elf, joined ~150 years ago, became the Flayed Queen 45-50 years ago.
18. Gremlith Speldare. Braithmaid exile, lover of secrets. During the Saint Grace schism, led the members who wanted to bury the legacy of Grace. Active around 100 years ago
19. Dame Lythe Albrime. During the Saint Grace schism, led the faction who wanted to recover Grace's remains and secure her canonization. Active around 100 years ago.
20. Sweamy Tweede. Last lodge grandmaster. Neutral on the point of Saint Grace, but unable to unite the lodge behind their founding mission, and declared the group dissolved. Active around 100 years ago.

12 Clues

Sprinkle these into situations where you think it would make sense for there to be some material clue relating to the mystery. Use your DM's instincts.

1. Dewidort's Paper Accomplices. 2d6 pieces of rough paper in a lacquered box painted with a shushing face and the phrase "Thou Shalt Not Get Found Out," Touching a pen to a page and uttering the phrase makes a map of everything within 100' of the user on the same level of elevation as them, burning ink all the way through to the other side. Treasure appears 4-in-6 and traps 2-in-6 on the map. At the bottom of the pile are two used pages— one shows part of Castle Brackenwold's lost wing, and one shows a trio of buildings in Smerne (0301), including a secret entrance into a safehouse built into one of the buildings.
2. Adventures in Fairyland, a collaborative work detailing information about the various fairy roads found in Dolmenwood, with multiple authors (including Ormyr, Ghrend, Brother Shankius, and Grace-Before-The-Unjust-Decree) denoting, adding to, and contradicting each other. Study reveals information about one door of each road, plus two or three locations to be found within.
3. Dame Theatrice's Journal, describing her attempts to find Dewidort's stolen treasure and turn it over to the authorities. Describes her suspicion of the shifty townsfolk of Smerne, maps of the region west of Lake Longmere, and notes about wolves, since Dewidort seemed to identify with them (with drawings of eyerolls). A couple latter entries describe Grace-Before-The-Unjust-Decree, an elf with surprising devotion to the One True God.
4. Memorandum from Dame Lythe Albrime, curtly reporting that the body of "Saint Grace" was not found, though her skin was recovered from a crookhorn patrol. Mentions rumors that the body has been taken north to the Table Downs for some unknown purpose. Tear-stained.
5. Receipt from Boroth the Smith. Sets out the material and labor cost for gilding decorations for "a statue of an elfin lady", as well as "right-exacte" bronze sheets with "holes which wilt suit the words they are surely set to". Says that it will be available for pick-up and transport from his smithy in Blackeswell in two months, and notes that it should look "passing beauteous in the green glow".
6. Letter from Grace-Before-The-Unjust-Decree. In flowing elfin script (with the occasional abortive attempt at Mulch writing), thanks "Chief Mulcher Bosoltob" for hosting her, memorializes several pastoral memories. Notes that she has always felt at peace among bracken, fungus, lichens, and mushrooms of all kinds, as her friends have often heard her remark. Promises to visit after her ministry to the crookhorns of the Nagwood to help calm tensions between the chief's village and the nutcaps.
7. Memorandum from Gremlith Speldare. Warns against further attempts to recover the remains of Grace, as she has learned of a new power in the Table Downs, a grotesque and powerful undead queen
8. Locket, containing a cameo a severe hooded man with a single eye, as well as a note. "Though to be far from you is arduous, it is a balm to my heart that in protecting the Ring, I am protecting also the message concealing your order and the Key, and thus a part of your Sucha Geas."
9. Account of Key, assistant-scribe. Mentions all he has managed to learn about the construction of Brackenwold Keep, including that it encircles an old well, as well as the Tened, Sko, Alasay, and Derphan gates. Some musings about the correct translation of what these words might mean follows.
10. Lythe's booklet. Stuffed with several paper screens intended to cover different passages of text to reveal humorous messages. All-clear reports regarding the Cold Prince's agents, save for concerning rumors about a Snow Elf embassy near some waterfall.
11. Proposal regarding Fort Vulgar Lodge, suggesting that the order re-establish a base there in light of concerning rumors about a "Nag Lord" operating in the northern woods. "After all, it may transpire that news will be pursued and halted before it gets all the way back to to Derphan and headquarters."
12. Exhortation of Just-War-Nourish. Epistle to all other members of the lodge, pointedly asking why we rest on our laurels. Why does the grandmaster not constantly badger the duke for funding? Why do our magicians not demand the hooded men forget the errors of the Aubrathon and remember their duty? Why does the Heavenseeker Key linger in our headquarters when it could be plugging some byway into Dolmenwood? And so on.