I am putting together a one shot for this weekend and wanted to get a bit of feedback. I’m not very far along yet, but wanted to make sure I was charting a good course. Feedback is greatly appreciated!
Repelling the Goblins!
The players know little of the surrounding world and are relatively well insulated. The local Elven tribe has been mostly decimated by disease and the dwarven halls have collapsed and fallen into disrepair leaving this as the last major bastion of civilization. Lately, scouts have seen small bands of goblins moving in and amongst the forests and the mayor is concerned a full scale assault may occur. He bids you head west to small cavern (where his scouts believe the goblins are amassing) and deal with the threat.
A Ob 3 Orator/Persuader/Manipulator willl get the locals to offer better provisions and a guide.
Failure - Anger
The woods surrounding the area are dense and old. The guide leads you along an overgrown path, as you travel deeper, the sun can no longer penetrate the heavy cover and you're in Dim Light.
Ob 2 Laborer test would let you open the undergrowth, Ob 3 Pathfinder to chart a better course.
Failure – Exhaustion, loss of provisions, time passes and darkness falls.
Getting closer to your destination, you begin to see signs of a struggle. There is the carcass of a wolf on the ground, along with scraps of a torn cloak and bag, and a lot of blood. (The guide points out a trail of blood that leads amongst some foliage and into a dark crevice.)
Ob 2 tests for tracking or information will find the crevice.
Failure – stumbles across some roots or into a jagged rock outcropping – Injured.
Ob 3 tests for information on the struggle will identify that a goblin and a wolf were attacked by something that left very 'boney' foot prints.
Failure - Anger
Entering the initial cavern you notice (your guide is visibly nervous, refusing to leave the entrance) the walls and floor of the cave are a smooth, hewn rock. Plenty of moss and mushrooms growing. There is the sound or dripping and running water as liquid comes through the rough of the cave, and drips to the floor.
Toward the back of the cavern, the hewn rock gives way to an unusual, obviously carved orange stone. To the left, there is a rough cavernous passage leading down at a sharp angle. The water runs quickly down it, moss and mushrooms gathering along the edges. To the right, the carved orange stone gathers into a darkened hallway.
In the middle of the cavern is a larger wolf than what players saw outside. It is visibly injured and very agitated. (Using Dire Wolf stats -1Might – If players try to drive it off, it refuses to go down the rough passage) Compromises – Injured, Sick (from something in its saliva), attacks and kills the guide on it's way out of the cave.