E10 — Ashgold Glade

Ashgold Glade

Palakar Forest · The lost of Reiver’s Right · Refugees, casualties, and a burning root fissure

GM — A Refugee Camp in the Dead Zone

Three exhausted survivors of Reiver’s Right shelter at the westernmost edge of Ashgold Glade, where a fallen cedar and intact roots make a cool pocket above the worst of the spreading blight. They were part of the escape that fled the logging camp when its workers began disappearing. Their group wandered toward Cedar Court territory rather than approaching the feared Pulgari crossroads. They have been hiding, rationing food, and moving between small refuges for several days. The advancing dead zone overtook their latest shelter overnight.

There is no automatic monster encounter here. The visible threat is the attached Goldroot Fissure Flare — Simple Hazard 3, which lies between the safer forest edge and the survivors' shelter. The situation is a rescue and information encounter; the refugees may be afraid enough to mistake approaching adventurers for their pursuers. The dead are victims of exposure and the dangerous crossing, not enemies waiting to rise.

Survivors — Three Refugees

• Mira Tallow, human log tally clerk: Alert despite exhaustion, with a bandaged left forearm. She kept a rough count of those who escaped Reiver’s Right. She recognizes Foreman Hendrick and remembers suspicious sealed cargo going toward concealed work areas after dark. She cannot identify the Golden Hand by name.
• Bren Orsik, dwarf hauler: Burned along one boot and badly dehydrated. He tried to carry the injured across a glowing fissure and lost a companion there. He knows the older logging paths and can point out a way west that avoids the most unstable ground. He distrusts offers of unfamiliar drinks after seeing companions become obsessed with sweet-tasting water.
• Elsi Venn, young adult human camp cook: Shaken and hungry, but able to walk with assistance. She heard other escapees discussing refuge with different fey groups, including the Court of Endless Revelry. She is frightened that the blight will follow them even if they reach safety.

These survivors are frightened, not hostile. They have no combat role or special stat blocks. They respond to food, clean water, medical assistance, and a clear assurance that the party is working with the Cedar Court. Initially they remain concealed and call out from behind the fallen trunk rather than rushing toward strangers.

The Dead — Two Lost Workers

Corven Hale, human sawyer: Lies wrapped in a stained blanket beside the lean-to. He succumbed to a combination of injuries and exposure after the group's flight. His boots and belt bear Reiver’s Right work markings. His pocket contains a short, unfinished note addressed to family in Old Macridi; the refugees ask that it be carried home.

Nessa Brindle, halfling rigging hand: Died when a goldroot fracture erupted as she tried to cross with supplies. Her cloak is scorched, and her dropped satchel lies within sight of the fissure. The satchel holds a small Reiver’s Right work token and a folded scrap of route notes. Retrieving it is optional and risks triggering the hazard if the party crosses carelessly.

The survivors have laid the bodies together but cannot safely transport them. They ask for burial markers, identification of the dead, or a promise to report their fate. Their possessions provide personal evidence of the logging-camp disaster, not an extra treasure cache.

Hazard — Goldroot Fissure Flare

The Goldroot Fissure Flare (Simple Hazard 3) occupies a cracked, warm strip of ground near the discarded satchel and the direct approach to the shelter. Heat shimmer and the sharp smell of scorched roots provide warning. Perception DC 20 (trained) notices the dangerous hairline fracture; Nature or Crafting DC 19 (trained) can disable it as detailed in the existing trap artifact. Weight or a blow splitting the crust triggers a 10-foot burst, DC 20 basic Reflex save, 2d8 fire damage, with dazzled for 1 round on a critical failure. It fires only once during this encounter.

The refugees know the shortest line across the fissure is unsafe, but panic may leave them unable to explain clearly until the PCs calm them. Careful characters can approach along the intact edge, scout an alternate route, or make the fissure safe before escorting the survivors. Do not trigger the hazard automatically merely for speaking to the refugees.

Talking to the Refugees

Diplomacy DC 17 or convincing, concrete aid calms the group enough for an orderly conversation; no check is needed if the PCs identify themselves as Cedar Court allies and provide obvious help. With patient questioning, the party can learn:

• The logging camp went silent abruptly, not as part of an orderly shutdown; workers' possessions were left behind.
• Some escapees headed toward the Cedar Court while others sought different fey refuge. These three have not seen the other groups since separating.
• Bren saw oily black sap and ember-red lines in roots and trunks, while Mira recalls sealed shipments and unusual activity away from ordinary sawmill work.
• Along the route, contaminated water tasted strangely comforting to some fugitives, who became reluctant to abandon it. The refugees now avoid suspicious springs.
• The goldroot fractures have been growing more active; the dead zone is spreading into previously safe paths.

Rescue and Practical Choices

The party can share provisions, provide clean water, Treat Wounds where appropriate, recover Nessa's belongings, mark the bodies, or escort the survivors toward the Cedar Court's forward camp. Survival DC 18 identifies a route around the hottest cracks; on a failure, travel takes longer or requires backtracking rather than forcing immediate damage. The refugees can follow directions once reassured, but Bren's burned leg slows the group. If the party cannot escort them immediately, leaving safe supplies and a clear route offers a meaningful partial success.

Do not require the party to kill an additional defender or administer antidote here. There is no active blightseed objective in Ashgold Glade. The meaningful decisions concern risk, aid, evidence, and how much time the party spends helping people while the central node remains active.