[D20cember] R is for Raptor Rescue

Raptor Rescue: A Get Ready, Get Set, Go! Labyrinth Lord adventure set in the Ashford Valley.

Get Ready:
The return of Edith the Witch! A nobleman's favorite hawk has been captured by a man bent on revenge and plans to use the hawk as part of it.

Get Set:
The action takes place along the High Bridge Road, between Ashford town and Tradetown. The PCs could be trying to find Edith again after their encounter with her in the Adventure of the Missing Caravans or (if they've never met Edith) they are seeking a witch that is famous for her interesting potions on behalf of a rich patron.

Melseth is a brigand who recently stole three hawks from a Tradetown nobleman - one Lord Fernok - a nobleman who cheated him out of a fortune and ravished his sister, as well. Melseth has managed to feed the hawks a special potion, one that he got from Edith that causes permanent gigantism in animals (unfortunately, that was the only gigantism potion that Edith had and she doesn't remember how she made it).

Now he's training them to attack people in preparation to killing Fernok and guess who's riding down the road?

Go!:
The PCs are riding down the High Bridge Road when they see a man on a hill nearby with several giant hawks on his arm. Throwing the birds into the air, he calls out "get them, my Pretties! Be my instrument of revenge against Lord Fernok!"

The birds will attack a few of the characters until they are wounded and then they will fly off. If the man is attacked, he'll retreat, calling for the hawks.

If the PCs manage to find Edith and tell her the story, she'll tell them that a strange man named Melseth came to her for a special potion and showed her the hawks he stole from Lord Fernok. He paid his money and, because she's not really interested in the goings on of revenge against lords or crazy people, she gave him the potion. Did the PCs bring her any Dwarven metal toy figures?

After seeing Edith, the PCs will find themselves under seige. Over the next few days while the PCs are on the road, they will be attacked by the man and his giant hawks and hear the man calling for the hawks to "be my instrument of revenge against Lord Fernok!" At no point will any of the hawks fight to the death.

How the adventure ends is up to the PCs. These poor hawks are being exploited to kill people and, while dangerous, are just trained animals. The hawks can be captured and then set free after Melseth is taken care of, at which point they'll fly off to form the basis for the Ashford Valley's first giant hawk population. Maybe they'll meet the PCs later in their adventures.

As for the nobleman, if he learns the PCs didn't recover his property, he may cause them trouble in the future. After all, he's not really a nice man.

Notable NPCs:
Edith the Witch (1 Harpy Witch); Alignment: Neutral; Armor Class: 7; Hit Dice: 3d8; Hit Points: 16; Attacks: two claws (1d4) and dagger (1d4); Save: F3; Morale: 7; Special abilities: Magical song (treat as Charm Person spell), magical resistance (+2 saving throw on all saving rolls), magical moving cabin.

Malseth the Hawk Thief (1 Normal Man); Alignment: Chaotic; Armor Class: 4 (chain & shield); Hit Dice: 1d8, Hit Points: 8; Attacks: longsword (1d8), longbow (1d8); Save: NM; Morale: 8.

Giant Hawks (3); Alignment: Neutral; Armor Class: 6; Hit Dice: 3d8+3, Hit Points: 25 each; Attacks: bite (1d6); Save: F2; Morale: 8.