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CAS-3: The Feast of Tegny Wood

CAS-3: The Feast of Tegny Wood is a standalone Cairn Second Edition adventure of disease, duty, and decay, set in a haunted corner of Vald. During the holiday of Bartermoot, traders and Woodfolk meet in uneasy peace.

Yet beneath the revelry, something dark stirs. Deep in Tegny Wood, an alchemist’s failed experiment has festered into an infection that twists flesh and soil into a grotesque parody of life. Meanwhile, something even more terrible is rising in the Wood, and growing ever closer…

Credits

Written by Yochai Gal, Editing by Derek B. and Yossi Krausz,
Layout by Adam Hensley, Art & Map by Ari-Matti Toivonen. 

Text, art, and layout are released under CC-BY SA 4.0.

This adventure module was created using the tools found in the Cairn Warden’s Guide. You can do it, too! More at cairnrpg.com

Overview

Garden Day 14th of Sunrise, 7728. Two weeks into the dry season, during Bartermoot. Warm & Breezy.

• Ask Each PC: **Why are you attending the Bartermoot? What are you hoping to find here?

This adventure is structured as a forestcrawl. Refer to the relevant exploration procedures found in the Warden’s Guide (pg. 56) and the Player’s Guide (pg. 70).

The Holiday of Bartermoot

A day-long festival where representatives from the smaller towns and villages trade steel for lumber in ritual arrangement with the denizens of the Wood. The Marchguard keeps the peace. There are many such festivals located throughout the land.

What’s Really Going On?

Taros Quill, formerly of the Marchguard, broke his Oath and fled east. An Aurifex, he had altered his mind to better serve the Guard, but those machinations had eventually driven him mad. He has built a cult following around him somewhere in the Tegny Wood, where he plans on “freeing” humanity from the scourge of civilization. In order to enact these plans, he needed rare reagents, which he stole from the Guard.

But then, disaster struck! In his attempts to create a new kind of human, Quill created disease that destroys everything it touches. After his followers were transformed into plant abominations, he fled to the Workshop. A Bloodhound followed him there, tripping an alchemical ward set by Quill, killing him. The Hound survived, but was later transformed into the Chitin Knight.

Contagion

Creatures directly exposed to the Chitin Knight or an infected entity (typically via physical contact) must make a STR save or die horribly in 1d6 Turns, transforming into an abominable hybrid of plant and animal. (affected players should roll up a new character). They can be saved only if the infected body part is removed (within 1d4 Turns), or cured through magical means.

Hooks & Rumors

d4	Hooks & Rumors
1	While attending Bartermoot, there is a scream as children appear, saying they’ve found a corpse at 2. The Old Dam.
2	Talks of diseased animals, fish, etc. Farmers have pooled their resources (200gp) as a reward for anyone who can stop the madness.
3	The Master of Commerce is interested in more information regarding stories of illegal lumber work in the North Fork. He will pay 50gp apiece for information regarding the goings-on there, but discretion is required. He does not wish to upset the denizens of the Wood, particularly today.
4	The Marchguard is offering a reward of 400gp (total) for information on the current whereabouts of Taros Quill, a deserter. He was last seen fleeing into the Tegny Woods with a group of followers, and the previous Bloodhound dispatched after him has not returned. The Guard is oathbound to watch over the Bartermoot festivities and cannot follow until the next day, when the trail may have already grown cold.

Encounters

d6	Encounters
1	Tucked behind a dilapidated shack is a small garden bed. Fat tomato leaves shoot out of the wet dirt. Wrapped inside are tiny baby lambs, still sleeping. The Wood will remember if they are harmed.
2	A young woman lies face up against the ground, breathing heavily. Her skin is tainted bright orange, and small shoots grow from her exposed neck and ankles. She was one of Quill’s followers and is at the final stage of contagion. She knows where he has fled but not how to get there.
3	Bursting out of the dirt is a small metal helm, followed soon after by a short, stocky Fungal Forager. Giving the party a dirty smile, she looks no older than 13. On her waist is a small satchel filled with edible mushrooms, which she’ll gladly sell to the party for 15gp (as Rations, 6 uses).
4	A herd of deer race by, heedless of the party. They are trailed by a pair of limping stragglers, fur stained orange with Contagion.
5	A pair of well-armed women step silently through the Wood, each bearing heavy baskets laden with fruit, meat, and other delicacies. They are Woodfolk and are highly distrustful of outsiders. They know where every path leads. They have families to feed and must return home quickly.
6	The jingle of bells and falling trees announces the imminent appearance of the Chitin Knight. Quick-thinking PCs may hide to avoid contact. If the Knight spots them, it will try to infect them through any means necessary.

Tegny Wood

1. Bartermoot

(Ignore any encounter rolls at this location.)

Enormous oak and birch trees surround the area, casting dark shadows over a large clearing. Dozens of large tents are arranged with yellow and green livery, and tall flags mark the entrance to an outdoor market hall. Hundreds of people mill about, trading and enjoying the festivities. A small trail extends to the east and into the Wood, while another path leads downhill towards the southeast.

• Tents: Built atop crumbling iron and wood. Weeds grow all around their base, as this clearing is only used during Bartermoot. It will be abandoned again tomorrow. 
• Livery: Most folk recognize the yellow as belonging to the local Master of Commerce. The green belongs to no house, but instead serves as an invitation to the people of the Wood.  
• Market Hall: Nearly any mundane item (and some more rare) can be found here today. Roll on the Rumors table.
• Festivities: The smell of rich food and lilting music create a lively, joyous atmosphere. Roll on the Rumors table.
• Eastern Trail: Nearly hidden by the tents and fabrics. Large footprints and broken leaves identify this as a place where deer regularly come out of the wood to feed.  
• Southeast Trail: Despite the thickness of the wood a glimmer of water is still visible between the trees.

People

• The smallfolk arrive by foot, horse, and wagon. Though superstitious, none dare cause trouble so close to the Wood, where the veil between worlds is thin. For many, this is the farthest from home they will ever travel.
• Residents of the Wood will come to trade today, then retreat into the Wood again until next year. Most look warily about, but some are partaking in the fun as well. 
• A Bloodhound from the Marchguard openly stalks the area, asking questions and making everyone nervous. Their presence can mean only one thing: someone has broken their Oath.
• Members of the White Raven (Warden’s Guide, pg. 180) keep stalls here, selling trinkets and religious texts. They do not look kindly on symbols of the more “organized” religions.

Market Specials

Mundane items from the Marketplace are discounted by 25% here.

• Recollection Vial: A sniff, and for 1d4 minutes all that is seen or heard will be engraved in memory perfectly (including writing, symbols, sequences, and so on). Sniff again to recall the experience at any time. 1 use. 100gp.
• Bonemold: A box of heavy, wet mycelium. Any flesh (living or dead) placed inside will be preserved exactly until removed again. If exposed to water, the fungus hardens and dies. Bulky. 50gp.
• Bubblemask: A small bottle of viscous, stretchy fluid that is pulled across the nose and mouth, filtering the air around it. Cannot be used underwater. 3 uses. 100gp.

2. The Old Dam

A walkable dam is built across a small river. On the opposite side, rotted boats are stacked together near an ideal fishing spot. A face-down corpse floats in the water, caught by the dam. 

• Dam: Human-made with a section for walking. It is frail and full of holes; if more than one person attempts to cross at the same time, it will collapse.
• River: Flowing from the northeast, passing by the 6. Slanted Gazebo.
• Boats: Nearly all are rotted through and unusable, save for a small boat that fits only two.
• Corpse: Dead for a day at most. Its belly is a horrific merger of flesh and bone, as wriggling fish skeletons are fused with its underside. A pledgepenny (see below) is lodged in one of its pockets.
  • Pledgepenny: Easily identified by any educated person. Any member of the House of Burgesses presented with the coin must hear the bearer out, at the very least.
  • There is an orange residue (Contagion) on one shoe.

3. Bloody Grove

The trail splits at a tiny clearing. Short, curved trees bend towards the center of the clearing. To the North, the trail is covered in thickets, but the trail continues East unimpeded.

• Trees: Cutting them causes a thick, orange sap (Contagion) to emerge, and the blade is permanently stained.
• Thickets: Travelers not wearing protective clothing must make a DEX save or lose 1 STR from blood loss due to deep scratches. A sound not unlike distant bells chimes somewhere to the Northwest.

4. Stone Circle

(Ignore any encounter rolls at this location.)

A dozen boulders are arranged in a small circle around a stump. Set atop each is a flat stone tablet, perfectly balanced. On the east side of the display is a muddy, southwest-flowing river.

• Circle: The boulders are massive and do not look like any local stone. Those with knowledge about the matter would recognize that they must have come from leagues away. Stepping into the circle has no effect.
• Stump: Wet with dew. There is a Pixie disguised as a flower growing from the stump, but she will only make herself visible if addressed directly, or if the characters have revealed themselves as allies of the Wood.
  • Drinking a cupful of the dew causes complete invisibility for 1 Turn. Collecting the dew in a vial will preserve up to 3 uses of the potion.
  • The Pixie is frightened of the contagion infecting the Wood and is considering fleeing.
• Tablets: Extremely heavy, requiring at least two people to lift. 
  • The Pixie will curse anyone that shows disrespect to the tablets, causing them to fail every Save for a week and a day. Restoring the tablet to its proper state reverses their luck (they automatically succeed their next Save). The tablets are not special in any way. 
• Mud: Deer prints are visible and can be followed uphill towards the Slanted Gazebo (6.) Due to the mud characters should add one Fatigue for traveling by foot.

  Pixie

  3 HP, 3 STR, 15 DEX, 13 WIL

• Tiny humanoids with insectoid wings. Naturally invisible.
• Can cast Sleep and Masquerade at will.

5. Abandoned Tower

A clearing, bursting with overgrown foliage. A tower infested with ivy is visible on the other side of a wall of thick undergrowth. Surrounding its foundation are dozens of statues made from plant life. A mist-covered trail on the northwest side of the tower leads deeper into the forest. A thick, bramble-covered path leads south. A well-trod trail heads east, uphill, towards the sound of water.

• Foliage: The plant life is impossibly thick here. Extensive chopping and cutting is required to reach the tower. Green-tinged statues are visible through gaps in the vegetation. They look like people in various states of activity. 
• Tower: Two stories high and covered in leafy ivy. A wooden door is present at its base, the entryway shrouded in dark. 
  • A tiled rooftop is visible, along with a small window. Closer inspection via spyglass or similar instrument would reveal a faint light through the window. Easily scalable due to the presence of heavy ivy. A fall would bruise, but no more. On the second floor is a shutterless window.
• Door: Stands slightly ajar, as if closed but not latched before being abandoned. Enters onto the first floor. 
• Ivy: Creeping vines. Appear inert, but slowly encroach upon distracted prey. If a character climbs the vines, they will wait until the perfect moment to strike. 
• Statues: Made of thick forest detritus, leaves, soil, sticks, and moss. They are shaped like people in varying expressions of terror: running away from the tower, screaming in agony, with their arms in the air as if to protect themselves.
• Trail: The mist is so thick that torches or lanterns are needed to pass. A sound not unlike distant bells chimes towards the northwest.  

First Floor

The contents in this room have been completely destroyed and upended by an explosion of plant life. Parts of bookcases, chairs, cooking pots, etc. are distributed roughly throughout, and a latched trapdoor is cut into the ceiling on the north side, 12ft above the first floor.

• Contents: What was once a serene kitchen or workshop was undone by a force so violent it tore a hole through a wrought iron chamber pot, a tree branch erupting from its bottom. Amid the destruction is a broken rope ladder and a fine pair of Work Gloves. 
• Trapdoor: Latched from the other side of the ceiling. Parts of a rope ladder still hang in ragged chunks from the wood. 

Second Floor

A small table cluttered with instruments is arranged on the west side of the room, opposite an open window that overlooks the forest. A latched trapdoor is built into the floor on the north side of the room. Wooden boxes are stacked neatly on the south side. The space is clean and untouched by the destruction of the floor below.

• Instruments: Ceramic bowls, alembics, and other varied kinds of glasswork. A knowledgeable character could identify what was being prepared (for example, a potion or alloy) but not the exact solution or product. There is residue of an orange powder.
• Window: A hidden path is visible just beyond the overgrowth east of the tower, leading to a slanted gazebo astride the river (6. Slanted Gazebo). 
• Trapdoor: A 12ft drop onto the first floor. Parts of a rope ladder still hang in ragged chunks.
• Boxes: Three small boxes. They contain: A pair of unused Bubblemasks, an empty, orange-tinged vial, and a can of Fire Oil.

6. Slanted Gazebo

(Do not roll for an Encounter at this location.)

A decrepit gazebo sinks slowly into the mud alongside a fast-flowing river, heavy with rocks. The forest east of the water is so thick as to be impenetrable. Large pieces of wood are scattered at the nearby shore. To the west is a path leading towards a small tower, thick with vegetation on either side.

• Gazebo: The building’s paint still shines in the river mist, while its bright cushions and fine tablework stand in place as if glued to its surface, despite the angle.
  • A person stepping onto its surface does not slip and fall; it is as if they are walking on level ground. Immediately upon someone entering, the gazebo will let out an audible groan of anguish.
  • If food is placed anywhere in the gazebo, a great sigh will emanate from within. A voice will be heard inside the minds of any creature nearby, offering to answer a single question regarding the Wood and its denizens. All Fatigue is cleansed.
  • If asked, the gazebo will say that it was enchanted to act as a meeting place for those who came to parley with the Neighbors (Warden’s Guide, pg. 182). The structure has been long forgotten. 
• River: Near the muddy shore are deer footprints leading southwest towards the 4. Stone Circle. The mud is thick here, and the current is strong. Characters not using a boat should add one Fatigue.
• Wood: Remains of a boat, torn apart from rocks. Dead fish litter the area; a few are stained with an orange residue (Contagion). 
  • Intact fishing gear can be extracted from beneath some of the floating debris.

7. Infected Fork

The air is wet and shimmering here, no light passing through the trees above. The path continues on to the northeast, towards a small hill. The distant sound of chiming bells can be heard from the northwest, where a broken path of fallen trees leads deeper into the Wood.

• Air: Thick, uncomfortable, and nausea-inducing. Hints of the contagion ahead. 
• Hill: Through gaps in the trees, a stone building is visible. Its roof is exposed to the elements.
• Northwest Path: Characters taking this path and breathing without protection must save STR. On a fail, they start showing signs of infection within 1d12 Turns.

  8. Workshop

  A modest gray building sits atop a small hill, the roof completely collapsed into the structure. The front door is shut and flanked by windows on either side. The interior of the building is visible, provided there is sufficient light. A small copse of orange-tinged trees lies felled to the southwest of the ruin.

• Door: Dented and fused shut. In front of the door is a line of broken, ashy powder. A burnt footprint is scorched into the stone floor. 
  • The powder is a ward against trespassers, used to destroy alchemical experiments and keep them from prying rivals. The scorched footprint is from a Bloodhound that stepped on the powder, initiating the explosion.
• Windows: One of the windows is smashed, glass scattered across the lintel and surrounding area (save DEX or take 1 STR damage, if climbing through). The other window opens just fine.
• Interior: There is a massive hole where a large section of roof used to be. Metal and wood are scattered across the floor and amid broken furniture. A large pile of rubble obscures the back half of the room.
  • The body of Taros Quill is here, buried beneath the rubble. It takes 3 Turns to clear enough rubble to access the body. On his right forearm is a tattoo of a red flower, representing the Oath of the Marchguard.
  • Careful examination of his partially-charred remains should result in sufficient evidence to prove the man died from the building’s collapse, the explosion, or both.
• Trees: Orange-tinged footprints lead to the West (9. Last Stand). There is no trail here.

9. Last Stand

Freshly cut trees, smeared with orange and black gunk. The sound of great movement and treefall can be heard as something makes its way towards the 1. Bartermoot festival, the sound of a bell ringing in its wake. 

• Gunk: Contagion. Direct contact with skin causes infection. Spending more than 1 hour in this area also promotes infection (save STR or become infected).
• Treefall: The Chitin Knight, making its way towards 1. Bartermoot, spreading contagion as it cuts down trees in its path. It moves slowly, with a singular purpose: to spread Contagion. 
• Bell: Formerly attached to the tower door at the 5. Abandoned Tower, it has become fused onto one of the Chitin Knight’s appendages.

Chitin Knight

12 HP, 2 Armor, 14 STR, 8 DEX, 6 WIL, arm spike (d10, blast)

• A horrific insectoid hybrid of insect and tree, spreading contagion in its wake. One of its legs has merged with blood-red wood, the rest of its body is black as midnight.
• Critical Damage: Target is impaled, and infected with contagion.