The Viglundings - ideas wanted

[Jussi Marttila]

I was thinking of running an interlude between Those Who Tarry No Longer and A Darkness In The Marshes. Since the Company has been hanging around Beorn's lands (and they even have a Beorning member who got his Standing raised after Kin-Strife) I was thinking of having Beorn task them with patrolling the northern border of his lands.

The Viglundings are a natural opponent here, of course since they have that neat quality to them: they're doing something that's evil, but they're not by nature capital-E Evil Men. I'd prefer something that would give room for negotiations instead of battle against them (that will come later) and a chance for the Company to even gain some respect among the Viglundings.

One idea that I've had is that there's a rampaging troll that they hear about and they get in touch with the Viglundings, since it's both a menace to them, the free cottars in the area and Beorn's folk.

[Majestic]

I think that's an excellent idea, Jussi. If the PCs make some alliances or friendships among the Viglundings, it could make it all the more heartwrenching if they have to fight them later.

A Giant is another possibility that would fit well in that region, and could really pose a tough obstacle for a group of PCs and NPCs (though you'd have to stat one up yourself).

[zedturtle]

I would say check out my introductory adventure thread and also my Black Tom thread to see some of my ideas for the area.

[Jussi Marttila]

I checked out The Theft Of The Moon, and one thing that sprung to mind was that the Viglundings might be sending thralls to fight the troll, but perhaps one or two Viglundings have doubts about this.

Black Tom might work out well as a possible ally for the players, or as an encounter where the players can gain information.

[zedturtle]

I checked out The Theft Of The Moon, and one thing that sprung to mind was that the Viglundings might be sending thralls to fight the troll, but perhaps one or two Viglundings have doubts about this.

Black Tom might work out well as a possible ally for the players, or as an encounter where the players can gain information.

Yep, you could make Jarn a little bit more of a sympathetic character and have him concerned about needlessly spending the thralls' lives on a fight that they'll never win. A debate between Jarn, Viglar and Othbald might be fun to see player out, although the players need to be involved or it will just end up with you talking to yourself.

Another option is that it might be the Lonely Giant that is going on a rampage. Perhaps he's a foe that guarantees a TPK if fought directly and the heroes/Viglundings have to seek Mab the Spinner's help (in my write-up for Dead of Winter, Mab will help the heroes, but there's always a cost {obligation} to her aid). Perhaps she can provide a fiendish Riddle or other spell/item to calm him down.

BT, of course, could be utilised as either a home-base for operations in the area, the target of the attack or an ally or opponent (especially if you go the troll route, see my BT thread for more on that, I don't want to spoil players who might be reading this thread).

[Corvo]

I wrote an adventure about Aestid -Viglund's daughter- and her secret love for a beorning (HotW page 31). I can share it if you like

[Dunkelbrink]

Aestid's story is great, I would also be very interested in reading what you came up with if possible, Corvo.

[Indur Dawndeath]

Yeah. Please share Corvo. I had similar plans.

[Corvo]

The Darkening of Mirkwood, year 2952: The Tale of Aestid and Denlar

Note: in my campaign, the Tale of Aestid and Denlar take place in 2952, and is the igniting factor behind the Battle of the Forest's Gate.
My reason for conflating the two story seeds was to give my players some moral conundrum, instead of a simple “let's go bashing some baddies”. Viglund is a villain, but I strived to create a situation where his actions weren't entirely unwarranted.

Aestid is the daughter of Viglund (HotW page 31). Shrewd and determined as her father, unlike him she's a kind and generous soul. Aestid knew Denlar when the young beorning was taken in slavery by her father's men, in 2950. The two fell in love while gathering firewood in the Elfwood (HotW page 31), and she helped him escape. Since that time, the two meet secretly in the Elfwood at dawn the first day of every month.
No one is aware of their love, nor of her role in his getaway: only the vile goblin Saviga (HotW page 30) suspects something.
Last year Viglund betrothed Aestid to the brutish Oathbald, a powerful follower of him. It is a mean to appease a dangerous rival of his son Viglar (HotW page 30) to the Viglundings leadership.
Now the marriage looms near, so Aestid decided to flee, even if that means forsaking her father: a cruel man to many, yet a loving parent to her. Her plan is to free all of Othbald’s slaves on the night she flees: Othbald will have to choose between his bride and his servants, and will be unable to recapture them all.
And deep in her heart, she wants to grant these unfortunates a chance to win their freedom.
On his part, Denlar enlisted the help of some friends: Arnulf, Avagis and Avina, sons of Old Alaric, a renowned homesteader that live near the border of Viglund's territory. They will wait for Aestid hidden in the Elfwood.
The escape goes as planned, and before dawn Aestid and Denlar reach Old Alaric's homestead with their friends. Unknown to them the vily Saviga shadowed Aestid till the Elfwood, and recognized the sons of Alaric.
The malice of the creature is so great that, instead of escaping to Mirkwood, he comes back to Viglar and tell him where his sister is hiding.

When the adventure starts Old Alaric's homestead is under siege by Viglar and a dozen of his men: he doesn't dare torching the building lest Aestid is harmed, but he asks the restitution of his kidnapped sister. Some hours ago a group of Men from nearby farmsteads intervened and were met by harsh word: no one knows who struck the first blow, but a fight ensued and a Beorning, Cilderic son of Gisalric, is dead. Surely Viglar blames the Beornings.
Now, grief-stricken Gisalric and his kin are raising a warband to attack Viglar's men, while at the same time Othbald is coming with reinforcements for Viglar. Time is running short, tempers are flaring, and Viglund himself will be here tomorrow.

The companions can be involved as they are traveling through the region: maybe they are sleeping at Gisalric's long-home, and rules of hospitality demand that they help their guest. Or maybe they are at the Easterly Inn (see TftW) and they hear the call to arms of the Beornings.
A full scale battle is brewing, and surely feuds will follow. There is still room for diplomacy, but not much, otherwise it's down to cunning or arms.

Likely courses of action (and implications):
-Attacking the Viglundings. Viglar got a dozen Men right now (some of them wounded). In three hours Othbald will be there with another twenty, and tomorrow at dawn Viglund will bring dozens more. Gisalric got eight Men right now, and more will flock to the sieged farmstead every passing hour. Many feuds will follow this battle, and their shadow will loom on Denlar and Aestid forever.
-Appeal to Old Alaric to restitute Aestid to her father. He got to authority to do it, and he's angry at his sons brashness (he wasn't informed of their plan). Yet he's proud and he hates Viglund with a passion: he don't want to yeld to his old enemy. The companions need a good success on Persuade or Courtesy roll. If they succeed they can avert a battle, but woes will follow: Gisalric will seek revenge for his son, and Aestid and Denlar cannot renounce their love.
-Intimidate Viglar. Not easy, since he sent messengers to Othbald: he knows that reinforcements are incoming, and he cannot look weak to his brother-in-law. It requires an overwhelming force... or maybe someone can convince him that Beorn is nearby.
-Asking for judgement by Beorn. Viglund and his men know that they should act quickly to avoid the involvement of the feared Skin-changer. It requires extraordinary cunning to stall them long enough. If they manage it, Beorn will make clear that everyone here is under his protection, and Aestid is free to choose her destiny by herself. Viglund will not challenge the Skin-changer directly, but raiding and skirmishes will follow in the next years.
-Giving monetary compensation for the kidnapping of Aestid. Greedy Othbald is ready to accept a tribute in gold or cattle for Aestid and the escaped thralls: but he needs a lot of it, to impress his underlings he wasn't humbled by the Beornings. Viglund needs extraordinary riches to put aside his wounded pride.
If that road is chosen, surely Gisalric will ask the Viglundings blood-money for his son's death.
-Asking Viglund to let Aestid flee with Denlar. Surprisingly, this is probably the best solution, because Viglund is a monster, but his only ounce of humanity is reserved for his daughter (Insight, tn.18). Arranging such talk isn't easy, tough: they need to Persuade both Aestid and Denlar to appeal to the tyrant's clemency (tn 12 and 16 respectively, since Denlar hates Viglund), and Viglund too (tn 18). If they manage a great success with Viglund, he will let them go, if Denlar promise a to give a hefty bride-price within a year. If the companions managed just a simple success, Viglund demands that the couple live at his home and that Denlar swear fealty to him.
Othbald will harbor a grudge, and Gisalric will be refused reparation, though.

[Corvo]

By the way, I wrote it originally for the "Additional Adventures for DoM" project viewtopic.php?f=7&t=2543 , by Poosticks7