Mama Bear's Revenge: Setting the Scene
Not too far upriver of Blackford, on the edge of a small forest in the Southern Downs, a company of foresters known as “Barkley’s Men” has set up camp, clear-cut the area, and sends the logs downstream.
In their efforts, the foresters attracted the attention of a local druid named Fanghort. Fanghort attached himself to the camp, ensured that no animals were killed in the logging and, in return, kept dangerous wildlife away from the workers.
However, something was bound to go wrong. A forester by the name of Lewin killed a bear cub two weeks ago. Fanghort went into the woods to make amends, but he himself was killed by the cub’s mother.
Without ill will for either party, Fanghort enacted a powerful ritual with his final breath. Believing that animals and humanoids could get along if they could only communicate, Fanghort granted sentience (and the ability to speak) to all animals in the nearby wood.
Fanghort’s peaceful idealism has thus far proven unfounded. The animals gained sentience and immediately set their recently improved intellect to drive out the humans from their territory. For the past two weeks the foresters have been under attack from coordinated, enraged, insult-hurling animals.
The PCs Join The Fight
The PCs may enter into this adventure in a number of ways, as it makes sense for your campaign.
- They may be hired to accompany Evan Goldwood, the foresters' employer, and determine what is happening.
- They may hear rumors of aggressive, swearing animals from a nearby town such as Blackford or Thornbury.
- They may simply stumble across Barkley’s Men while travelling from one place to another.
Barkley and Evan Goldwood (the foresters' employer) are eager to pay for help. They offer 250 gp to anybody who can end the crisis and get the camp back up and running.