Session 1 : The Butcher of Greenest

So, this week at camp, we are starting a series of adventures written specifically for the camp that I plan to publish later.
Here is the summary for the first "adventure," which runs approximately one hour.

Session One

"Six strangers arrive at the gates of Neverwinter, only to be denied entry and rudely directed to inns almost a day's travel away. These strangers (Winter, the White Dragonborn Barbarian; Marcus Plier, a tavern-brawling Gold Dragonborn Monk; Lucky Toodles, a Dhamphir Rogue; Timothy, the stoic, blank-faced Goliath Barbarian; C5, also known as Clive, a Warforged Sorcerer; and Ejames, a dwarf ranger moonshining in a pot) are led off into the Neverwinter forest by a goblin who wished to be unnamed. In the woods, they are led to an (literally) underground inn, Smokeless, in a community known as the Warrens, a lawless refuge for people dispossessed by necessity or choice.

Drawn into investigating, in a trade for dinner, a mob hunting for “the Butcher of Greenest,” a local smith accused of horrific war crimes during the Rise of the Dragon Queen. The smith denied knowing of these crimes, and before sorting the question, the mob attacked him.  The strangers, pulled into the fight, defeated the mob and rescued the smith. Although likely forced into the Dragon Cult as labor, the smith, Sesteik, has no memory of being at Greenest or the preceding years."

Discussion

Okay, so I used a well-worn denied entry hook to start these adventures off, and honestly, to establish the Greycloak Guards of Neverwinter as enemies early. I then introduced Smokeless, Forsetti (the gnome proprietress), Little Eyes (the Kobold proprietor) and the Warrens in general. So far so good.

I wanted this story to be about mistaken identity, unreliable memory and questions of guilt. As written, the party could take either side and be correct, as the events of the past are only known through the unreliable memories of the NPCs, and it was important for me not to have a “wrong” choice in such a fraught decision. The party actually sided with the mob’s grievances, but almost instantly switched to the blacksmith when they realized that there was no negotiation to be had. So far so good.

The players were unimpressed when I told them in wrap-up that whatever they chose was the correct decision. I think they viewed it as a puzzle to be solved, rather than a role-playing exercise. I am going to keep it as written, but I will remember that players may not like situations where they can’t “lose” because that takes the fun out of “winning”.  I will certainly note this in the advice for Dungeon Masters.

Session 1: The Butcher of Greenest is unofficial Fan Content permitted under the Fan Content Policy. Not approved/endorsed by Wizards. Portions of the materials used are property of Wizards of the Coast. ©Wizards of the Coast LLC.