Module
Blue Moon & Fallcrest Arrival
Fallcrest town arrival, Knight's Gate, Blue Moon Alehouse feast, Tobbs briefing, and Hammers brawl.
Module — Blue Moon & Fallcrest Arrival
Status: Ready to run. Comprehensive social, investigation, and town encounter module bridging the North Road to the ruined manor or Ethium.
Canonical PDFs & Guides:
Prior Module: The Road to Fallcrest Module
Overview & Town Background
Fallcrest is a bustling frontier town built on two stone terraces along the Nentir River — Hightown (housing noble manors, temples, and the Wizard’s Tower) and Lowtown (home to markets, docks, and vibrant alehouses).
Upon arriving at Knight’s Gate, newcomers face inspection by Sergeant Murgaddin’s city watch. Rescuing courier Mara guarantees swift entry and an invitation to a celebratory feast at the Blue Moon Alehouse.
At the Blue Moon, scholar Tobbs presents an ancient Ethium plateau map and demonstrates a glowing Aethra Lumis Ethium stone. The briefing is abruptly crashed by a gang of Hammers thugs seeking to snatch the map.
Key Areas & Read-Aloud Descriptions
1 — Knight’s Gate (City Entrance)
Twin granite towers flank the fortified northern archway of Fallcrest. Guards inspect incoming merchant wagons and travelers.
Read Aloud: High stone walls rise above the tree line as Knight’s Gate comes into view. Guards in polished chainmail stand watch beneath the portcullis. Beside the gatehouse, Sergeant Murgaddin — a stocky dwarf with a braided iron-grey beard and sharp blue eyes — leans on his halberd, eyeing incoming travelers.
- Gate Inspection: Captain Murgaddin demands to know the party’s business.
- Mara’s Vouch: If Mara is with the party, she steps forward: “They saved my life and the King’s mail on the North Road, Sergeant.” Murgaddin smiles, waives gate taxes, and grants entry.
- Without Mara: DC 12 Persuasion or 5 sp entry tax per traveler.
2 — Fallcrest Town Errands (Optional Open Exploration)
Party members can visit various shops before heading to the tavern:
- Naerumar’s Imports: General store run by Orena Naerumar. Sells adventuring gear, climbing kits, potions of healing (50 gp), and obscure maps.
- Half-Moon Trading House: Weapon repairs, commission custom axes/shields.
- The Nentir Inn: Upscale lodging in Hightown (2 gp/night).
- Septarch Tower: High Wizard Nimozaran’s steep stone tower in Hightown (guarded by magical wards; courier satchel delivered here).
3 — The Blue Moon Alehouse (Feast & Briefing)
A cozy two-story tavern in Lowtown known for roasted venison, spiced ale, and warm hearths.
Read Aloud: The heavy oak doors of the Blue Moon open into a warm, buzzing hall. A massive stone fireplace crackles at the far wall. The smell of roasted venison and mulled wine fills the air. Up on the timber rafters, a tiny leather-winged homunculus watches the crowd with glowing amber eyes.
- Mara’s Feast: Mara purchases a lavish feast for the party (fresh bread, venison stew, dark ale).
- Tobbs’s Arrival: Scholar Tobbs enters, placing a heavy leather-bound journal and a cloth-wrapped stone on the table.
- Ethium Stone Demo: Tobbs uncovers the Aethra Lumis stone — a translucent azure crystal that pulses with soft blue light when touched. He displays his plateau map and explains: “Ethium was a city of ancient magic that vanished overnight. These stones are keys to its remaining vaults.”
4 — The Hammers Brawl
The tavern doors slam open as armed thugs in leather vests enter.
Read Aloud: The tavern quietens as four heavy-set thugs step into the room, their knuckles wrapped in leather and iron-spiked bludgeons at their belts. Their leader, a scarred fighter with a crimson bandana, steps toward Tobbs’s booth. “Hand over the blue rock and the map, old man, and nobody gets hurt.”
- Combat Goal: The Hammers want to steal the Ethium stone and map, not murder the tavern patrons.
- Encounter: 3–4 Hammer Thugs + 1 Hammer Bruiser (Leader).
- Environmental Actions:
- Tavern Table Shove: DC 12 Strength to flip a table for half-cover.
- Tankard/Chair Toss: Improvised weapon attack (1d4 bludgeoning).
- Guards Arrive: On Round 4, Sergeant Murgaddin and 4 city guards burst in; surviving thugs flee into the alleyways.
Encounters & Creature Stats
Blue Moon Brawl
| Creature | AC | HP | Attacks & Traits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hammer Thug (×3–4) | 12 | 11 | Club +3 (1d6+1), Heavy Fists +3 (1d4+1 non-lethal). Reckless (grant advantage on attack to gain advantage). |
| Hammer Bruiser (Leader) | 14 | 18 | Shortsword +4 (1d6+2), Heavy Club +4 (1d8+2). Ally Advantage (deals +1d6 extra damage if an ally is within 5 ft). |
| Sergeant Murgaddin (Ally) | 16 | 45 | Halberd +5 (1d10+3). Arrives on Round 4 to end the brawl. |
Key NPCs
| NPC Profile | Role & Personality |
|---|---|
| Mara Profile | Royal courier; hosts the feast and introduces the party to Tobbs. |
| Tobbs Profile | Eccentric scholar and Ethium explorer; provides the plateau map and stone quest. |
| Nimozaran Profile | High Wizard of Fallcrest; recipient of Mara’s satchel. |
| Sergeant Murgaddin Profile | Guard Captain at Knight’s Gate; stern, fair dwarf soldier. |
| The Hammers Gang | Local criminal gang operating in Fallcrest; working for the Gang of Four. |
Possible Outcomes & Transitions
- Defeating the Hammers: Interrogating a fallen thug or searching his pockets reveals a written order bearing a wax seal — pointing to their cellar hideout at an old ruined manor outside town.
- Path A — Manor Investigation: Party clears the gang cell before traveling to Ethium → Old Manor Module.
- Path B — Immediate Journey: Party departs Fallcrest immediately along the river trail toward the Ethium plateau → Journey to Ethium Module.
Maps & Visual Assets
| Asset Name | View Link |
|---|---|
| Fallcrest Town Map |  |
| Blue Moon Tavern Interior |  |
| Ethium Plateau Map |  |
Related Documentation & Links
| Category | Reference Link |
|---|---|
| Session Log | Session 2 Play Log |
| Novel Chapter | Chapter 2: The Blue Moon Alehouse |
| Place Lore | Fallcrest Town Lore |
| Prior Module | The Road to Fallcrest Module |
| Next Module | Old Manor Module |
| Faction Lore | Gang of Four Faction Lore |