Prologue
After defeating Kalarel in the Keep on the Shadowfell and venturing into the Chaos Scar to recover the Hammer of Ivak Stoneblood, the party of adventurers return to Winterhaven surrounded in an aura of success and confidence. The guards manning the gate excitedly wave them through and the market place is busier than they have ever seen it. Farmers and traders are no longer hiding in their homes, oppressed by unknown magicks, but are out and about, enjoying the sunshine and indulging in commerce.
Back at Thair Coalstriker's smithy, they meet with Torak Banehammer, the dwarven cleric of Moradin, and return to him the Hammer of Ivak. Gratefully and reverently he takes it off their hands. As promised he hands over an equally powerful item that once belonged to the hero Marauk Burrin, who was a Champion of Kord. As Haagan takes the weapon into his hands he feels not only the power of the mystic relic, but the power of Kord himself, as the god bestows on him a unique and special boon.
Torak Banehammer then introduces the party to a young dwarf by the name of Rangrim. He explains that Rangrim is a Paladin of Moradin and that his talents have outgrown the problems of their small settlement, and after seeking spiritual guidance, he believes that Rangrim should join the party in aiding the peoples of the Nentir Vale. Assuming they accept, of course. Rangrim is immediately invited into their ranks and they head off to Wrafton's Inn to celebrate.
While sorting out their accommodation for the night, the party receive two invitations, one for dinner with Lord Padraig and one from Bairwin Wildarson. Hoping Bairwin's invite will be shorter in nature, they pop over to his "Grand Shoppe".
Bairwin Wildarson, it seems, has a problem. He sources many of his more exotic items from his business parter in Thunderspire Mountain. This normally works out very well, except that his trade is currently being "blocked" by one of the Mountains enforcers, an ogre by the name of Brugg. Bairwin has an item for delivery to Brugg and until the ogre receives it, his partner is being prevented from making any exports at all! Even more frustrating is that Bairwin sent the item ages ago. Its journey seems to have stalled in Fallcrest. The adventurers are heading to Fallcrest tomorrow are they not? Could they get his parcel from the barge captain Fredegar? And ensure its speedy deliver to Thunderspire Mountain and his business partner Gendar? There shouldn't be any problems but if the party agree, Bairwin offers them two Rituals up front as payment. The task is simple and on their way, so the adventurers accept the job and the rituals.
Later the party spend the evening with Lord Padraig and his family. The Lord is eager to show his appreciation for their efforts one last time, but also asks if they would kindly deliver some letters to the Lord Warden of Fallcrest. The party, of course, accept.
Fallcrest
The journey to Fallcrest is uneventful and the five adventurers begin to show their new compatriot the delights of their home, mainly by going from one Inn to the next. They deliver Lord Padraig's letters to Lord Warden Faren Markelhay and are invited to an audience. One of Lord Padraig's letters explained the troubles that beset Winterhaven and the adventurers role is removing them. Warden Faren asks many an inciteful question. All the while pretending not to notice the noisy wind emanating from the drow Happy Angel (in fact a prank pulled by the Mage Moonscale).
Bairwin's instructions to the party said to meet the barge captain at the House of the Sun temple. When they arrive, they find not the captain, but an impatient runner who informs them the captain is too scared to leave his barge. Would they come and meet him at his barge, moored in the lower quay?
The Lower Quay
The party arrive at the quay, to see the barge captain being "shaken down" by a group of rough looking (but unarmed) men. Happy Angel is quick to rush to the barge captain's side but the lead rough, is equally quick to say they are just discussing business. The captain seems too scared to disagree. The rough challenges Happy Angel to a bare knuckle fight, no armour. Happy Angel refuses, the tension escalates and the inevitable fight breaks out.
Pontuus is the quickest off the mark, charging the leader and putting his magical horned helm to good use. Happy Angel follows almost immediately and between the two of them , the leader (Devlin Jack) is already bloodied. Devlin uses his crooked skulduggery to shift out of harms way, behind some of his boys, and takes a breather (second wind).
Alykacha dodges between the lieutenants to attack the leader Devlin Jack, but he is on the defensive and the attack misses. The lieutenants advance quickly now, moving in to attack the adventurers. At first they appear to be unarmed, but at the last moment they grow claws! One pounces on Moonscales and misses. Another rushes the barge captain and in a cowardly assault from behind, rips out the halfling's throat! The captain falls to the ground dead. At the same time to the south, another group of roughs try to flank Haagan, striking him with claws and clubs.
Finding it hard to believe the evil that he has seen, Rangrim issues a divine challenge to the evil shifters while at the same time delivering a powerful strike to Devlin Jack. Moonscale scars Devlin Jack and one of his lieutenants with burning jolt of lightning while Haagan obliterates one of the thugs with a single blow of his powerful warhammer.
Seeing enough of the party are engaging Devlin Jack and his lieutenants, Pontuus and charges south to join Haagan, flanking one of the shapeshifters before stabbing it with his spear.
Happy Angel decides enough is enough and calls her most powerful magicks down on Devlin Jack. Waves of hellfire roll forth from her hand and the shifter is reduced to a charcoal lump. Unfortunately his lieutenants continue to fight on, using their skulduggery to position themselves where they can deliver powerful attacks on the party.
Moonscale joins Pontuus and Haagan, and crushes one of the shifters with his tail, leaving Pontuus the task of delivering the killing blow. Meanwhile to the north, Rangrim, Happy Angel and Alykacha take down the last their foes. Alykacha despatching the final one, in isolation, in her cloud of darkness.
The evil shifters are dead, but so too is the barge captain. His halfling crew and the porters on the docks explain to the adventurers how these thugs have been moving into the area, demanding protection money and taking a cut from all cargo transported through the town. They even "confiscate" cargo, and they have taken Bairwin's parcel to a Bonded Warehouse they appear to have taken as their headquarters.
XP
Devlin Lvl 5 Skirmisher xp 200
3 x Lvl 3 Lowtown Kneebreakers xp 150
2 x Lvl 3 Razerclaw Jacks xp 150
Total: 950
Treasure
140gp and an Augmenting Whetstone (75gp)
Battle Map
Example One
Example Two
Imagine two humans in the wheel with a bunch of halflings hanging on ropes, twisting it left and right as they haul cargo off the river barges and onto the docks or waiting wagons.
The map also uses barges from the Drive-Thru River Barge set