RuinsofThundertree
NeartheplacewheretheNeverwinterRiveremerges
fromNeverwinterWoodstandstheabandonedvillageof
Thundertree.Once,thiswasaprosperouscommunity
ontheoutskirtsoftheforest,wealthyfromthework
ofitswoodcuttersandtrappers.Thenthirtyyearsago,
theeruptionofMountHotenowtothenorthdevastated
Thundertree.Inthewakeofthenaturaldisaster,aplague
ofstrangezombiessweptoverthearea,killingordriving
offthosewhosurvivedtheeruption.
Thoughmostofthezombieshavelongsincecrumbled
todust,strangemagicpermeatingtheareahasmutated
thelocalvegetationintonewanddangerousforms.
Fewpeopledaretoventureintotheruinedvillage
now,andthosewhodososeldomstaylong—withtwo
notableexceptions.ThedruidReidoth(seearea4)visits
Thundertreefromtimetotime,keepingawaryeyeon
itsdangers.Cultistshavealsoarrivedrecently(seearea
13)totreatwithadragonthatclaimsThundertreeasits
domain(seearea7).
Asthepartyapproachestheruins,readthefollowing:
Gradually,thetrailbecomesanold,overgrownlanewinding
betweendilapidatedbuildingschokedinvinesandbrush.
Aheadofyou,inthemiddleofthesettlement,risesa
steephill,uponwhichstandsastonetowerwithapartially
collapsedroofandanadjoiningcottage.Adirtroadhugsthe
baseofthehillandwendsitswaybetweenoldstonehouses,
manyofwhicharerooflessruinswithinteriorsopentothe
weather.Otherbuildingsappearmoreorlessintact.The
wholeplaceiseerilysilent.
Awoodensignisnailedtoapostnearby.Itreads:
"DANGER!PlantmonstersANDzombies!Turnbacknow!”Reidothplacedthesigntodiscouragebandsoftreasure
seekersfromstirringupthemonstersinthearea.GeneralFeatures
ManyofThundertree’sbuildingshavecrumbledinthe
yearssincethetownwasabandoned,evenasnature
threatenstoswallowwhatremains.
Buildings.AbuildinginThundertreeiseitherruinedor
intact,asshownonthemap.
Ruinedbuildingsareemptyshellswithstonewalls
5 to 8 feethigh.Theirroofsaregone,leavingpilesof
debrisinsidethewalls.Thedebrisisdifficultterrain(see
“DifficultTerrain”intherulebook).
Intactbuildingsarerundown,ramshacklestone
cottagesthatareotherwisestillstanding.Theirwooden
doorsareswollenandrequireasuccessfulDC 10
Strengthchecktoforceopen.Thewindowsofanyintact
buildingare 2 feetwideandcoveredbywoodenshutters
containing6-inchwidearrowslits.Creaturesononeside
ofanarrowslitgainthree-quarterscoveragainstattacks
fromtheotherside(see“Cover”intherulebook).Dusty
oldfurnishingssuchassimplewoodenchairsandtables
remaininmostintactbuildings.
TreesandBrush.Treesaverage 30 to 40 feettalland
providecover.Brushconsistsoflargebushesthatcountas
difficultterrain.
1.WesternmostCottage
Thiscottagehasseenbetterdays.Coweringintheshadowofanoldtreeisacrumbledstone
cottagewithnoroof.Weedsarerampanthere.Twotwigblightshideamongtheweedsthatflankthe
cottage’sopendoorway.MakeaDexterity(Stealth)
checkfortheblights,andcomparetheresulttothe
passiveWisdom(Perception)scoresofthecharactersto
determineiftheblightsarespotted.
Theblightsdonotattackontheirown(exceptinself-
defense)butquicklycometotheaidofthetwigblightsin
area 2 ifcombateruptsthere.AwardingExperiencePoints
Divide 50 XPequallyamongthecharactersiftheparty
destroysthetwigblights.2. Blighted Cottages
Windandweatherhavedonetheirworkhere,andlittle
remainsofthesehousesortheirformercontents.Theseruined,side-by-sidecottageslookasthoughtheymight
havebeenthehomesofprosperousshopkeepersorwell-off
farmersintheirtime.Allthatremainsarecollapsedwalls
andpilesofdebris.Severalyoungtreeshavegrownupinthe
midstoftheruins.Theovergrowthconcealsadeadlythreat—sixtwig
blightslurkingamongtheordinaryfoliage.Spotting
themrequiresasuccessfulWisdom(Perception)check
challengedbytheblights’Dexterity(Stealth)check.
Theseplantmonstersarehungryandfightuntil
destroyed.Oneroundaftertheyattack,thetwigblightsin
area 1 jointhefray.Treasure
Amerchantwhooncelivedherehadachestfullofcoins
hiddenundertheflagstonefloorofhishome.Athorough
searchoftheinterioroftheeasterncottageanda
successfulDC^10 Wisdom(Perception)checkrevealsthe
oldchestamongtherootsofthetreegrowingupthrough
thehouse.Thechestcontains 700 cp, 160 sp,and 90 gp.AwardingExperiencePoints
Divide 50 XPequallyamongthecharactersiftheparty
destroysthesetwigblights.3.TheBrownHorse
ThiswasformerlytheBrownHorse,atavernrenowned
foritsexcellentale.Aweatheredsignboardbythedoorofthislargebuilding
showsthefadedimageofaworkhorseholdingaflagonofale.
Thebuildingissagginganddilapidated,butitismoreintact
thantheruinsacrosstheroad.PART3:THESPIDER'SWEB