Kathy's Maplehurst Academy

Title: Maplehurst Academy

• Game: Tapestry
• Date: April 2010
• Author: Kathy Ice

This adventure centers around Maplehurst Academy, a unique boarding school, which I would like to locate on the Second Plateau, if it makes sense. It is a boarding school exclusively for the children of adventurers. Each student has one or two adventuring parents, who may be active, retired, or deceased.

The PCs will be students in their final year at Maplehurst. Because of the very specific character-creation guidelines, it is not expected that any player’s current “Tapestry” PC will qualify. This adventure will therefore have Seals as rewards, instead of experience points.

Summary of Module: One PC recruits the others to break into the Headmaster’s office. The PCs are nearly discovered, but luckily find a secret door at the last second. The door leads into a hallway, where there is a puzzle they must solve. This opens the way to an underground passage, where giant insects give the PCs some trouble. At last, they discover treasure and a way out of the secret passage.

Here is the game as run in the Silk Tapestry.

Scene 1: Sponge-cake – 1 week

One of the PCs has received a hamper of goodies. However, he or she is in a little trouble, so the Headmaster has confiscated the hamper until after the PC is finished with detention. This is, of course, grossly unfair, as the hamper includes some of Auntie Marjorie’s sponge-cake, which will be hard as a rock by the time the hamper is released. Immediate action is required!

The PC therefore recruits some other students for a stealth raid on the Headmaster’s office (in exchange for a share of the delicious sponge-cake). All goes well, at first. But, as the PCs are beginning to break into the office, the lookouts hear voices. Someone is coming! The PCs are caught for sure!

At the last moment, one of the PCs discovers a secret door in the corridor. With nowhere else to go, the PCs rush through. The secret door closes behind them—but it is a one-way door. They are trapped!

Scene 2: The Door Puzzle – 1 week

Although the PCs cannot go back, there is a way forward…if they can figure out how the door opens. There is a dial on the door that must be turned to a correct number. There is a clue to the number, in the form of a riddle carved on the door.

The riddle expresses numbers by using various references. An example from our world might be: ((Stooges) x (Geese-a-laying)) + (Billy Goats Gruff). [The answer works out to be (3x6)+3, or 21] For this puzzle, however, the references are Woldian (most of which I will probably have to make up), and will be tied to the PCs’ skills. Ideally, all (or nearly all) of the PCs end up contributing something toward solving the puzzle.

Scene 3: The Invaders – 2 weeks

The door leads to a passage, which leads to an underground chamber. It is obvious the chamber has not been used in some time; it is likely that the staff of the Academy have forgotten all about it.

Of more immediate concern, however, is the colony of monstrous centipedes that have taken over the place! In the process of building their nest, the insects have dug around the edges of the walls, weakening the foundation. If something is not done, some of the walls could collapse, seriously damaging the school.

Once the PCs have defeated the centipedes, they find a small amount of treasure; mostly old coins and a couple of distinctive (non-magical) pieces of jewelry (the jewelry—ring, pendant, and brooch, perhaps—have interesting symbols and/or inscriptions which may be a hook for a future adventure). They also find a passage leading to a door they can get through, which proves to be a secret door deep in the stacks of the school library.

Scene 4: Wrapping Up – 1 or 2 days

If the PCs didn’t take too much time, they return before they are missed, and are not caught. Plus, they have a wonderful hidden room they can use for a headquarters.

Sadly, they are no closer to Auntie Marjorie’s sponge-cake. Maybe tomorrow.

End matter:

A: List all NPCs used in the module. Even if it is NOT the first time for that NPC to be used in the campaign, write a sentence or two describing the NPC. If there are changes in the NPC in this module, note that it is a change and what changed. An alternative to this is to have an NPC page on Woldipedia and link to that page where all NPCs are here.

I will need a Headmaster, and possibly a couple of teachers to mention in passing. I would love it if the CDM and/or ACDMs had some suggestions of retired Woldian characters who need semi-permanent homes and could be teaching here. If not, I will create new NPCs.

B: List all locations used in the module. [same as for NPCs.] Describe the location. We’re talking places like inns, shops, temples, etc. If there are changes to the location from the last entry, note what has changed and that it HAS changed.

Maplehurst Academy, a boarding school for children of adventurers. This is a new location, which I would like to place on the Second Plateau. I have a vague idea that the school was originally housed in an old estate, converted for the purpose, but has been expanded to include an entire complex of buildings.

C: Magic Treasure: List all magic treasure given in the module. Check with the DM of the Catacombs if you are not sure about what their rules are for magic items, what can be sold, etc. This should be done to Woldian standards.

No magic treasure. The PCs find enough coin for about 100 gp each (a vast fortune for a schoolkid!) and the mysterious (non-magical) jewelry mentioned above.

Since this module will not be run for XP, I propose the following seals for the players:

(for all PCs) Sponge-cake Seal: When activated, this seal creates one piece of delicious sponge-cake per party member. Each piece comes with a plate and fork that disappear once the sponge-cake has been eaten.

(for all PCs with a perfect posting record) Seal of Completed Homework: All members of your party may take 10 on their next Knowledge check, which must take place within the next 10 minutes.

(for all PCs who successfully complete the adventure) Friends Forever Seal: During the next round, all party members may use the highest d20 roll of any party member. Only PCs who would normally be making d20 rolls can make them (for example, a Wizard casting a Magic Missile may not roll a d20, just because it might be high).

D: List the experience for the module. [Remember we are advancing at 3 levels a year for levels 1-3, 2 levels a year after that until 20th level is reached.] I highly suggest dividing the xp for the module by the scene and then giving out “xp per scene.” Play-testing shows that this helps keep the interest of the players high.

No XP. Seals only.

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