The Thirteenth Peal

Mystery, wilderness expedition, supernatural negotiation

The Thirteenth Peal

Lvl Low to mid tier, or any equivalent level for a system-agnostic campaign3 to 6 charactersOne long session of approximately 4 to 6 hours, or two shorter sessions.· Moderate, with escalating supernatural danger and opportunities for negotiation. Suitable for a competent party in a system-agnostic fantasy game.

“A bell rings thirteen times, and the forest comes to collect an old debt.”

— Hook · Mystery, wilderness expedition, supernatural negotiation

QuestgiverMarta Vey, Warden of Fichtenwacht

Mystery, wilderness expedition, supernatural negotiation

System-agnostic fantasy adventure

Moderate, with escalating supernatural danger and opportunities for negotiation. Suitable for a competent party in a system-agnostic fantasy game.

Lvl Low to mid tier, or any equivalent level for a system-agnostic campaign

3 to 6 characters

One long session of approximately 4 to 6 hours, or two shorter sessions.

4 NPCs

3 encounters

The Opening

“For three nights, the ancient bell of Fichtenwacht has rung thirteen times after sunset, though no one has climbed the tower. Now villagers are vanishing along the forest road, and the warden offers everything the settlement can spare if you find out what is calling from the trees.”
— Hook · Mystery, wilderness expedition, supernatural negotiation

Set the Scene

Read aloud: Snow drifts across the roofs of Fichtenwacht as dusk settles over the pines. The settlement is silent except for the slow creak of the watchtower, where the great bell hangs motionless in the wind. Then it rings once, twice, and continues until the thirteenth peal rolls through the valley. On the final note, every dog in town begins howling toward the forest.

Patron

Questgiver

Marta Vey

Marta Vey meets the characters in the settlement's cramped guardhouse immediately after the opening bell. She is exhausted, practical, and unwilling to admit how frightened she is. She explains that the missing villagers include two experienced woodcutters and a patrol captain, and she asks the party to investigate before the next sunset.

On the Streets · In the Books

Rumours

d6 · table

01
The bell only rings when someone in town has broken a promise.
02
The missing woodcutters were seen walking willingly into the forest under a moonless sky.
03
The old watchtower was built over a grave, not a foundation.
04
Brother Oren's predecessor disappeared exactly thirteen winters ago.
05
Edrik Sorn has been carving symbols into the boundary stones.
06
The forest has begun growing black flowers around the homes of people who are about to vanish.

Stakes

If the ritual succeeds, the Hollow Antler will awaken fully, swallow the watchtower, and spread an enchanted forest across the valley. Fichtenwacht will either become a silent grove inhabited by the missing villagers or be forced into a cycle of annual sacrifices. If the party resolves the pact honestly, the settlement can survive and begin rebuilding its relationship with the forest.

Ticking Clock·The thirteenth bell strike occurs at the next sunset. Each major delay gives Edrik more time to complete the ritual and causes the forest to advance farther into Fichtenwacht.

Background Lore

Fichtenwacht is a forest settlement built around an ancient watchtower overlooking the Blackpine March. Its people survive through resin harvesting, charcoal burning, hunting, and strict observance of the old boundary stones that mark where the forest becomes uncanny. Every winter, the tower bell is rung once at dusk to remind the woods that Fichtenwacht is still inhabited. Three nights ago, the bell rang thirteen times on its own.

What the World Knows

Fichtenwacht is threatened by a supernatural disturbance centered on its ancient watchtower. The settlement's bell has begun ringing thirteen times each night, villagers have disappeared near the Blackpine March, and the forest seems to be moving closer to the town. The characters must investigate the bell, find the missing villagers, and prevent whatever is approaching before the next nightfall.