The Price of Old Lies

Adventure Hook

Prince Gwion Maengor carries the fate of Drosau into the shadowy depths of the Bryncoed Forest. For 1,000 years, the Bryncoed Accord maintained a fragile peace between the human kingdom and the Autumn Fae of Grimroot. That treaty was secured on a monumental lie: Drosau’s monarchs claimed draconic authority to command and subdue dragons, intimidating the fae into compliance. With the 1,000-year term expiring, the rulers of the Bramblecrest Throne have uncovered the deception and demand a complete renegotiation. Sent by his father, King Dradoc, Prince Gwion must navigate these lethal diplomatic waters—unaware of the astronomical price the fae intend to extract, or the unexpected personal cost it will carry.

Encounter Tier: APL 1–10 | Social & Political Intrigue

• The Trigger: Triggers when the party is approached by General Eirawyn Stoneford in Drosau. She advises them of the volatile political climate, warns of the expiring accord, and hires or urges them to assist with the impending summit and negotiating fair terms between the two sides.
• The Objective: Once the party links up with Prince Gwion, he asks them to serve as his personal diplomatic entourage at the Bramblecrest Throne. Upon arrival, the court pairs Gwion with Lord Crispin Ciderwell, a high-ranking male fae envoy tasked with ensuring his comfort. While Prince Gwion is locked in proceedings, a member of the fae council approaches the party and introduces herself as Isolda. She explains Drosau’s deceit and requets the group’s assistance in righting the wrongs of the past by bringing her proof of their lies. During this time, the party can secretly investigate records back in Cyndraig and return to her with the documents. Meanwhile, as negotiations wear on, Prince Gwion and Lord Crispin spend most of their free time together and find themselves falling deeply in love.

Adventure Progression

Time Limit: 10 days of continuous courtly negotiations before the Bryncoed Accord officially expires, plunging the border into open warfare.

• The Diplomatic Route (Helping Gwion): If the party chooses to work toward a peaceful compromise without exposing Drosau’s monarchy, the DM can run the summit as an open social sandbox.
  • Court Navigation: The party must navigate Autumn Court etiquette, defuse initial fae hostiles, and resolve grievances between Drosauan envoys and fae lords (DC 14–16).
  • Mediating the Accord: During formal council sessions, the party can propose concessions, leverage trade routes, or appeal to shared history to keep both sides at the bargaining table.
  • The Binding Vow: If negotiations succeed, the fae propose a political marriage between Prince Gwion and Lord Crispin to bind the pact under ancient tradition. They accept, securing peace for Drosau while remaining together.
• The Infiltration Route (Helping Isolda): If the party decides to side with Isolda and the fae by exposing Drosau’s past lies, they must secure irrefutable proof from the heart of Drosau.
  • The Infiltration: The party must travel to the capital city of Cyndraig and infiltrate The Obsidian Coil to find hidden historical records detailing the draconic hoax without being discovered (DC 14-16).
  • Exposing the Lies: Returning to the Bramblecrest Throne, the party presents the records to the council, granting Grimroot total leverage to extract massive territory, trade, and political concessions from Drosau.
• Peace via Union (Helped Gwion): If both sides sign the renewed accord, Prince Gwion and Lord Crispin are wed in a celebrated union. The party is rewarded with 1,500 gp in coinage and gains a permanent +2 bonus to all Charisma (Persuasion) checks when dealing with the nobility of Drosau or the Bramblecrest Throne courts.
• Leverage & Scandal (Helped Isolda): If Drosau’s lies are exposed, Grimroot utterly outplays Drosau at the table, extracting severe territorial and political concessions. Returning to Cyndraig, Prince Gwion must navigate the fallout of his family’s exposed legacy. No longer bound by the illusion of his bloodline’s absolute authority, Gwion adapts to this difficult new reality alongside Lord Crispin. Siding with the fae grants a +2 bonus to all Charisma checks amongst the Bramblecrest Throne courts, but earns a −2 penalty to all Charisma checks when interacting with Drosauan crown officials or loyalist guards.
• On a Failure or Breakdown: If the party abandons negotiations, gets caught red-handed inside The Obsidian Coil, or fails to bridge the political divide before the 10 days elapse, diplomatic ties shatter. The Autumn Fae allow the party and delegation to leave the Bramblecrest Throne unharmed, but formally declare war to reclaim the Bryncoed Forest by force.