Mama Bear’s

Revenge
A
fter the
accidental
death of a
bear cub,
Fanghort
the Druid
went into the forest to
make amends. Now, the
lumberjacks are under
organized attack from
woodland creatures—
and all of them talk.

This adventure is appropriate for

adventurers of levels 1-3.

Writing Jeff Gomez

Color Art Phil Stone
Editing Felipe Real
Layout Xanditz
 Setting the Scene
Not too far upriver of a major port city, a
company of lumberjacks known as “Barkley’s
Men” works its way north. They set up camp,
clear-cut the area, send the logs downstream and
then continue onward.
In their efforts, the lumberjacks attracted
the attention of a local druid named Fanghort.
Fanghort attached himself to the camp, ensured
that no animals were killed in the logging and,
in return, kept dangerous wildlife away from the
workers.
However, something was bound to go wrong.
A lumberjack by the name of Lewin killed a
bear cub two weeks ago. Fanghort went into the
woods to make amends, but he himself was killed
by the cub’s mother.
Without ill will for either party, Fanghort
enacted a powerful ritual with his final breath.
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Mama Bear's Revenge
Believing that animals and humanoids could get
along if they could only communicate, Fanghort
granted sentience (and the ability to speak
Common) to all animals in the nearby wood.
Fanghort’s peaceful idealism has thus far
proven unfounded. The animals gained sentience
and immediately set their recently improved
intellect to drive out the humans from their
territory. For the past two weeks the lumberjacks
have been under attack from coordinated, insane,
insult-hurling animals.
The PCs Join the Fight
The PCs may enter into this adventure in a
number of ways, as it makes sense for your
campaign.
 They may be hired to accompany Evan
Goldwood, the lumberjacks’ employer, and
determine what is happening.
 They may hear rumors of aggressive,
swearing animals from a nearby town.
 They may simply stumble across Barkley’s
Men while travelling from one place to
another.
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Barkley and Evan Goldwood (the lumberjacks’
employer) are eager to pay for help. They offer
250 gp to anybody who can end the crisis and get
the camp back up and running.
Barkley’s Men & the Campsite
Barkley’s Men have abandoned all semblance of
work. They guard a basic perimeter of pit traps,
gates and sharpened poles while they wait for the
next attack.
Barkley’s Men are “reformed” orcs, a small
raiding party that was captured and fed civilization
in small doses (11x orc brute, 1x orc warchief). Half
a dozen orcs have already been killed during the
animal raids, and tensions are high.
Some notable folk include:
 Barkley: Barkley is small for an orc. With
pinkish skin and dirty-blonde hair, he likely
has a bit of human in his veins. Nonetheless, he
commands his crew with authority. After all, it
was Barkley that saved the orcs from execution
and led them on their long journey here. 
 Lewin: Lewin’ head was partially destroyed
during a skirmish. He is dull, barely
understanding that this whole mess is
his fault. Though quick to anger, he is an
otherwise kind fellow.
 Evan Goldwood: Evan is a gregarious,
spoiled, and extremely well dressed human.
His father buys the crew’s lumber as it comes
downstream and crafts it into trade ships.
Evan is set to inherit his father’s fortune,
but he likes getting his hands dirty in the
meantime. He has been sent up to check on
the missing shipments.
The lumberjacks don’t know exactly what
Fanghort did. All they know is that Lewin killed
a bear, Fanghort went to the bear’s cave, and
then talking animals attacked. They are largely
suspicious of Fanghort, and believe that he has
gone over to the other side.
The lumberjacks can point the PCs to the bear’s
den, where they (correctly) suspect Fanghort
ventured.
 Should the PCs spend more than a few hours
at the campsite, they witness a wolf attack (6x
LE wolves, 1x NE dire wolf). The attack is
immediately preceded by a group of squirrels
that hang in the trees and provide distractions
and reconnaissance. Barkley and two other orcs
join with the PCs in repelling the attack, while
the rest of the orcs stay back in case the wolves
break through.
Into the Woods
The PCs can make their way into the woods
by following Barkey’s directions to the bear’s
lair. The way is not long (5 miles), but it is a
rather treacherous journey up steep mountain
slopes. Along the way, the PCs must face the
following perils:
Chatter the Eagle (1x CN eagle) hails the PCs
from above. He fills in any gaps in the PC’s story
and describes what is going on at Mama Bear’s
cave. He also explains that he just wants to go
along a narrow slot canyon. The pine tree is not
immediately hostile. Indeed, it willingly lets the
PCs pass, only attacking if provoked. The tree
questions its place in life, and asks the PCs for
advice and their own purposes.
Mama Bear’s Lair
The bear’s cave is set into a step rocky incline.
Inside, Mama Bear (1x CE grizzly bear) guards
Fanghort’s body (the PCs can see and inspect
the body from a distance—see below for details).
Mama Bear understands that Fanghort’s body
provides the creatures with intelligence. She
speaks with a variety of woodland creatures,
including several dozen rats (2x CE rat swarms)
and one white wolf (1x LE wolf).
If the PCs sneak close enough and listen in,
they hear Mama Bear spewing anti-human
propaganda. 
The PCs may try reasoning with the animals,

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perhaps asking them to back down or organize

Mama Bear's Revenge

back to being a dumb eagle. He’ll assist the PCs in a truce. A DC 15 Diplomacy or Intimidation
any way that he can, and points the way to Mama check results in the rat swarms abandoning the
Bear’s cave.
A flooded river blocks the PC’s path. A DC
10 Athletics check is sufficient to swim across,
but failure results in 1d4 bludgeoning damage
from being tossed upon the rocks. The PCs may
also try to find a safe way across with a DC 15
Survival check, build a makeshift bridge with a
DC 15 Craft check, or even ask the awakened fish
for a safe crossing point.
A pair of boars (2x LE boars) accost the PCs as
they make their way along a mountain ledge (15
feet wide, with a 30 foot drop to the side). The
boars have painted themselves ritually with red
mud, and are acting as sentries. Should the fight
go poorly, the boars attempt to escape to warn
Mama Bear of the PCs.
A sheer cliff must be scaled to reach the bear’s
cave. The cliff is 30 feet high, with a climb DC of
10. While climbing, the PCs are attacked by three
eagles (3x NE eagles).
A confused pine tree (1x NE awakened tree,
5 foot movement speed) stands in the PCs’ path
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 bear. A DC 20 Diplomacy or DC 25 Intimidate
check results in the wolf giving up. Mama Bear
requires a DC 35 Diplomacy or Intimidate
check to give up the cause.
A frontal assault could prove dangerous,
but a DC 10 Perception check reveals a nearby
tunnel that could possibly lead into the cave.
Any PC may traverse this tunnel, but a DC
10 Acrobatics check is necessary to avoid 1d4
slashing damage from the scrapes and bruises
received while crawling through.
The tunnel leads to the back of the cave, 10
feet from Fanghort’s body and 25 feet from
Mama Bear and the other creatures. If the
PCs can dispel the curse on Fanghort’s body
without alerting the animals, then they will be
at a distinct advantage in the fight ahead.
Fanghort’s Curse
Fanghort’s body radiates a cold green glow,
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Mama Bear's Revenge
and shimmering beetles crawl upon it. A DC 10
Identify Magic (using any of Arcana, Religion,
Occultism, or Nature) check is enough to
determine that the body is the source of this
strange magic. If the body is destroyed or
dispelled, then the magic ceases.
If the body is dealt 16 points of damage,
then the magic immediately ends. Each time
the body is attacked, it releases a cloud of gas,
dealing 1d4 poison damage to all creatures
within 5 feet (DC 12 Fortitude save halves).
Attacking the body is a noisy affair that may
attract the attention of the animals.
Alternatively, the magic effect may be
ritually dispelled. In a ritual that takes 30
second, a character may attempt a DC 15
Nature or Occultism check to end the spell.
On a failure, the character is frightened for
1 minute and must make a DC 15 Stealth
check to avoid being seen, but may otherwise
try again. The ritual itself is quiet, but it does
require contact with the body. The character
must make a Stealth check during the ritual to
avoid being heard by the animals.
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When the spell is broken, all of the animals
immediately lose their sentience and are
frightened for 1 hour. Any creatures not in
melee flee the scene in a panic, but those
adjacent to PCs fight on. Mama Bear fights
on even if not adjacent to the PCs. This is her
home after all, and she is a bear.
Conclusion & Rewards
If the PCs end Fanghort’s spell, then they
receive 250 gp in compensation from Evan
Goldwood. According to their conduct, they
may also earn the favor of the powerful
Goldwood Trading Company.
If the PCs negotiate a truce between the
humans and animals, then they have a tougher
job ahead of them. Evan withholds payment
for at least a month, demanding that the PCs
stay to ensure the mission is truly complete.
Tensions may wax or wane during this time
period, and the PCs will have to keep the
peace.
Alternatively, some adventurers may
choose to side with the animals and destroy
the logging camp. Though unorthodox, this
option could yield the greatest reward. The
PCs can loot the 250 gp promised to them
from Evan Goldwood, as well as another 150
gp in valuable trinkets and tools. The PCs
may potentially kidnap and ransom Evan
Goldwood to his father, though they will have
made a powerful enemy in the process.