Module Proposal Title: How Many Licks does it take to Get to the Center of a Tootsie Drop? By: John F. Till (617) 738-5136 Premise: The duchy - famous confectioner Tootsie was made famous by her wonderful concoction: The Tootsie Drop. The Tootsie Drop is a hard candied shell, surrounding a chewy, chocolate center. Left alone, this candy is nothing more than that, just a candy. However, an Oracle's recent prophecy concerning the fate of sick young girl requires a certain key to unlock the enigma of the prophecy: How many licks does it take to reach the center of a Tootsie Drop? A great deal of research by one sage has tracked down the answer to another sage. That sage, a Tortoise Scavenger, can only be contacted in his wilderness home. Will he have the answer? Can an intrepid group of adventurers reach him? For the sake of one little girl (the daughter of a wealthy merchant), I hope so. Introduction: Three possible recruiters: 1. A gypsy -- whose player happened to write the module -- hanging out in the tavern, directing adventurers to the Sage. 2. Your standard recruiter wandering through town, looking for people to hire. 3. The Adventurer's Guild. Either way, this recruiter has the following information: A little girl in Volta (only six years old?) has a terrible, wasting illness. Her father, a wealthy merchant, sent a group of adventurers to an Oracle to ask for guidance in the curing of the disease. The Oracle's answer was difficult to decipher, as it should be, but eventually it was determined that one bit of information that they needed was the number of licks it takes to get to the center of a Tootsie Drop. Sages in Volta researched, but could only determine that a Sage in Ashbury knew the answer. They knew little about the sage, other than his possible location a few miles outside of Ashbury. The father is willing to pay well for the time and trouble of the adventuring party, depending on how experienced they are. The recruiter will pay them half in advance, and half upon their return. The recruiter will also provide the party with directions and/or a map to the Sage. The recruiter also has a small sum of money (10 Silver) to give the party in case they have to pay the Sage for the information. He also has a few Tootsie Drops, (obviously Tootsie Pops) in case the Sage needs to inspect them. Payment: Payment will be 1 Silver per level, per person. The employer thinks that this is just a simple walk through the woods, after all. Map/Directions: Will be fairly accurate. Except that they won't include any information about a crossroads, or one turn won't be marked. NOTE: The Recruiter knows NOTHING about the nature of the Sage. Encounter One: "Confusion at the Crossroads" The party comes across an elderly woman (very old), with really poor vision sitting in the road at the crossroads, or turn not mentioned in the directions. The woman will gladly give the group correct directions, but only if they have been nice and polite. Otherwise, she will tell them to go the other way. If they have been nice and polite then she will also reward them with a potion/elixir hidden nearby. Additionally, the group will be told: "I've seen that sage. Older than me! O, his wrinkles! And skin as hard as Tortoise Shell!" Regardless of which direction the group travels, the elderly person will be gone when they return. Potion/Elixir: Level 1: Cure Damage Elixir Level 2-3: Cure Wounds Potion Level 4-5: Cure Serious Wounds Potion Level 6+: Greater Bless Potion, Vorpal Coating 2 Encounter Two: "The Wrong Path" Sometimes it just doesn't pay to be rude to the elderly. Not far down the path the party runs into a group of monsters! Level 1: 2 Giant Rats Level 2-3: 1 Goblin, 1 Orc Level 4-5: 3 Giant Scorpions Level 6+: 3 Ogres NO TREASURE. I said it doesn't pay to be rude to the elderly. Encounter Two: "The Wrong Man on the Right Path" The party comes across a middle - aged looking man with a small hut off to the side of the road. This is not the actual Sage they seek, but a con man posing as the Sage. He knew that many people would be traveling the road, in search of the Sage, and his knowledge about the Tootsie Drop. He may even let slip that he knows they have come for this knowledge. He does not know about the old woman in the road, and has never met her. Roleplay however you want if asked about her. He will demand at least 15 Silver for his information, and be haggled down from there. If the group says, "We only have 10!" He'll quickly agree to that sum. He's not a particularly good con man, but an unsuspecting party will believe him. If confronted with being a fraud he will try to run away from the party. Probably throwing a Pin spell at the toughest looking member on his way out. He'll tell the party that it takes 378 licks to get to the center of a Tootsie Drop. He has actually done this. Stats: Class: Rogue Level: Body: Skills: Small Weapon, Waylay Read and Write, Read Magic, Celestial Spells: 2/1 (Disarm, Disarm, Pin) Treasure: 4 Silver, 5 Copper, 1 random scroll NOTE: THE CON MAN IS NOT A GYPSY! Encounter Three: "The Tortoise Scaven Sage" The group enters a clearing to find a Tortoise Scavenger (brown) being menaced by four Turtle Scavengers (Green). They apparently want his money, and keep refusing his offers of candy. They will start hitting the Tortoise Scaven for 1's and 2's if the party does not make their presence known within a few minutes. When the party does make their presence known, the young Turtles will quickly shift their attention to the group of adventurers in hope of easy money. The Turtles are itching for a fight. If they begin to lose badly, they will turn and run. If the group is victorious, the Tortoise will be more than happy to give them what assistance he can. Unfortunately, when asked how many lick it takes to get to the center of a Tootsie Drop, he can only reply: "I don't know, I've never had the patience. Go ask Master Owl." At which point he will give the party directions to the next Sage of the Woods. Who is, of course, an Owl Scavenger. The Tortoise Scaven has this information, also, and gives it to the group. He also tells the group that he owes them a favor, if they ever need any information in the future. Tortoise Scaven: Unscalable Class: Rogue Body: 25 Threshold: 2 Skills: Read/Write, Herbal Lore, Alchemy 8, Craftsmen: Sage, Craftsmen: Confectioner Treasure: 2 copper (on him), and 3 poisons/elixirs (hidden nearby). Turtle Scavengers: Level 1: General Turtle Characteristics Body: 10 Threshold: 1 Treasure: 4 silver Turtle 1: Leo One-handed Edged, Florentine, 2 weapons (long sword & short sword), normal damage Turtle 2: Dono Staff Turtle 3: Mikal Read/Write, First Aid, Healing Arts, Earth Spells: 3/2/1 NO WEAPONS, NO NECRO Turtle 4: Raff Small weapon, Florentine, Waylay 2 daggers Level 2-3: General Turtle Characteristics Body: 14 Threshold: 1 Treasure: 7 Silver, 3 silver item Turtle 1: Leo One-handed Edged, Florentine, 2 weapons (long sword & short sword), 2 Crit. Attacks (Long sword) Turtle 2: Dono Staff, 2 Crit. Attacks Turtle 3: Mikal Read/Write, First Aid, Healing Arts, Earth Spells: 4/3/2/1 NO WEAPONS Turtle 4: Raff Small weapon, Florentine, Waylay, 1 Back Attack, Delayed Endow 2 daggers Level 4-5: General Turtle Characteristics Body: 18 Threshold: 2 Treasure: 11 Silver, Potion Turtle 1: Leo One-handed Edged, Florentine, 2 weapons (long sword & short sword), +1 Proficiency (Long sword), 1 Crit. Attack (Short sword) Turtle 2: Dono Staff, +1 Proficiency, Magic Armor Turtle 3: Mikal Read/Write, First Aid, Healing Arts, Earth Spells: 4/4/3/2/1 NO WEAPONS Turtle 4: Raff Small weapon, Florentine, Waylay, +2 Backstab 2 daggers Level 6+: General Turtle Characteristics Body: 26 Threshold: 2 Treasure: 15 Silver, Magic Item Turtle 1: Leo One-handed Edged, Florentine, 2 weapons , +1 Proficiency (Long sword), 2 Crit. Attack (Short sword), Magic Armor Long sword & Short sword Turtle 2: Dono Staff, +1 Proficiency, Magic Armor, Shield Turtle 3: Mikal Read/Write, First Aid, Healing Arts, Earth Spells: 4/4/4/3/2 NO WEAPONS Turtle 4: Raff Small weapon, Florentine, Waylay, +2 Backstab, Delayed Endow 2 daggers Encounter Four: "Master Owl" Not far from the last encounter is the woody lair of the Owl Scaven Sage. Perched in a tree (if safety allows), or sitting near one (if safety doesn't) is an Owl Scavenger with a Mortar Board on its head. When the party enters he will quickly ask what he can do for the party. He will ask what brings the group to him. What they have encountered on the way. And why they need the information. He will NOT ask for any money for his information. While the Owl Scavenger is very helpful, it should be played like a stuffy, old professor-type. Speaking slowly and very precisely is the touch. When asked, "How many licks does it take to get to the center of a Tootsie Drop?" He will respond, "Do you have one with you?" Taking the candy, "Let's see. Ah-one, ah-two, ah-three -- crunch! -- Three." The NPC player may say, "I bite one, I bite two, I bite three -- CRUNCH!" on the "Ah-three" cue. Regardless of what the party might think, "Three" is actually the answer. Owl Scavenger Stats: Body: 15 Skills: Read/Write, Read Magic, Herbal Lore, Alchemy 8, Craftsmen: Sage, Celestial Spells: 4/4/3/2/1 Treasure: Scroll, 4 Silver Encounter Five: "Are you evil?" On their way back to town, the group will have one final encounter. As they come down the path they will see a mysterious figure ahead of them, apparently waiting. He will greet them warmly and ask if they are returning with the answer for the Merchant from the Sage. He has a business proposition for them: Don't give the recruiter the answer, and he will double their payment. You see, he is the prot‚g‚ of the wealthy Merchant who hired them. He worked for years to become the obvious successor to his aging master, but that ungrateful man decided to bequeath his holdings to his daughter. Now, if the daughter would just die as she seems to be doing so well, he will become the Merchant's adopted son. The Merchant has said this much to him. If asked why he wants to prevent the information from returning to the Merchant, he will reveal most of this information to the party. He will also tell them that he has agents in the city who will report back to him whether or not they convey the information to the Recruiter. This is a role-playing test for the Moduling Group. How will they decide? If they kill the evil one, they will quickly discover that he didn't have the money on him. It will be hidden nearby if they care to search the area for it. If they go along with him, will they be honest as to how much money they were to be paid? Rest assured, he will know (from his agents, and the Marshal, of course), but may let them try to fool him. Evil Merchant Stats: Unscalable Race: Whatever's Convenient, BUT NOT GYPSY Class: Rogue Level: 2 Body: 5 (+/- Race) Skills: Read/Write, Small Weapon, First Aid, Healing Arts Treasure: 4 Copper (on him), Double the pay rate (hidden nearby) NOTE: This encounter will occur even if the group believes the Con man from Encounter Three. Epilogue: "Back at the Recruiter" The group must report back to the Recruiter to receive payment for delivering the answer. The Recruiter should get the name of the a contact person from the group so that a letter of thanks can be written from the little girl's father, the wealthy merchant. Or nasty letter if they delivered the wrong information. Or, if they sold-out to the Evil Merchant, they may receive a thank you letter from him, a "nice try" letter from the Wealthy Merchant, or a summons from a Sheriff in Volta!