NA-11: Llerg’s Fang

The Omen & the Fang (how they find the trail)

Llerg's Fang by 3orcs

Sunset in Readying. When the sun kisses the trees, read:

The fang’s long shadow slides like a spear across the grass and touches the Gnarley’s edge. Where its tip bites the forest, a small stone “tooth” waits.

• Finding the replica fang: A PC who follows the shadow to the treeline and searches makes WIS (Perception) DC 12 or INT (Investigation) DC 12 to spot a 1-ft stone tooth just inside the wood. Marked with faint Suel scoring.
• Ancient trail: From here, buried way-fangs occur every 300–500 ft. Survival DC 13 keeps the line; Advantage if a ranger/druid leads or if the party marks last fang with twine/chalk.

If they miss the omen or arrive late:

• Search around the Fang Stone for boot-sign and a chipped tooth fragment (Survival DC 13) that still points east-by-north.
• Or use the fail-forward: a small orc party (4–6) passes heading east. Shadowing them (Stealth vs. orc Perception +1) leads to the same trail.

DM Notes: Keeping on the Trail

(Ranger/Druid tools)

• Each half-mile: One Survival DC 13 to stay true. On a failure, lose 15–30 minutes and roll 1 random encounter (see d6 below).
• Reading sign: Rangers/druids may reduce DCs by 2 if they spend 10 minutes at each fang to study windfall, hoof-cuts, and lichen growth (no check needed—just time).
• Getting lost: Two failed checks in a row = lost. The next check is made at DC 11 if they backtrack to the last fang or climb an oak for bearings (Athletics DC 10, then Perception DC 11 to relocate the last visible marker).

Blackthorn Orc Raiding Group by 3orcs

Orc Factions in Play (DM crib)

• Blackthorn BLACKTHORN Orcs (hostile): Cohorts of orcs/gnolls/ogres moving from the hidden Blackthorn caverns to occupy the Suel ruin; disciplined secrecy, will die before revealing their lair. Expect slaver ties, duergar contacts, and “from-below” logistics.
• Storm-Eyes Clan (neutral → helpful): War-scarred orcs led by Tuelk and Pintark; guerrilla enemies of the Temple and their pet Howling Moon Clan werewolves. They refuse TOEE overtures and raid cult-aligned forces; may parley if approached with strength and respect.

Arrival Read-Aloud — Skull-Cave Hill

The fangs lead you into a hush of oaks and ipp where the ground rises like a knuckle. The trail ends at a bald, root-scarred clearing and a low hill whose face has been cut to a mouth. The opening is rough-hewn and skull-shaped—empty sockets, a broken nose of stone, teeth of black earth.

A timber pole with a cross-beam stands before the mouth. An orc hangs there, leather torn, arrows through him like pegs. Empty dark bottles lie in the grass, reeking of strong spirits. From within, torch-light breathes and boots scrape stone.

What’s here:

• Guard post: 4 orcs (hp 6 each) loitering near the mouth; 1 ogre (hp 32) dozing against the inner wall.
• Alarm: A rusted horn on a peg (Orc action to blow). A kicked brazier can tumble into a shallow pit of chips (smoke).
• Tracks: Many, all orc-shod, into the cave. The crucified orc bears triangle-scar and brands (Suel or cultist cruelty—up to you).
• Bottles: Three dark glass bottles, reek of rot-spirits (ogre’s). Clue to Disadvantage on ogre’s first Perception check if lured.

Approaching the Guard — Options & DCs

• Stealth in: Nightfall grants dim light. Approaching through brush: Stealth vs. orc Passive 11, ogre Passive 8 (asleep).
• Ambush set: Nature/Survival DC 12 to rig a quick noise snare (rattle-line) in the brush, granting Advantage to the first ally who attacks a distracted orc.
• Parley? Drunk orcs can be Deceived (Deception DC 12) with a bottle and a lie about new orders from “Gorth the Lash.” Ogre wants food; Animal Handling or Persuasion DC 12 bribe buys 1 round before he bellows.
• Sabotage the horn: Sleight of Hand DC 12 to pack the horn with mud; first blow fails, raising DC to 15 to clear and sound.

If the alarm sounds: Add 1d4 more orcs at the end of round 2 from the first chamber.

Tactics & Scaling

• The orcs rush and try to shove foes toward the mouth to let the ogre club from behind (+7 to hit, 2d8+4).
• Tier-scale:
• Weaker party: Remove 2 orcs; give the ogre –10 hp and –1 to hit for a hangover.
• Stronger party: Add an orc Eye (priestling) who opens with Bane; or have a second ogre return on round 3 with a haunch of boar.
• Mercy valve: If two PCs drop, an orc squabble breaks out over credit. One flees inside to fetch the boss, buying the party 2 rounds.

Inside the Temple (opening guidance)

This entrance foreshadows a running battle: rooms within respond on timers. Decide before play:

• Room Response Clock: Each chamber checks on round 2 and 4 after noise begins. On a success (d6: 4–6), they join. Otherwise they hold unless the horn sounds.
• Stacks of Foes: Use orcs in 3–6s; a single elite (Eye or Sergeant) per two rooms; one ogre every 3 rooms.
• If the party’s drowning: Screen out a response or have a drunk squad stumble late.

Clues & Treasures at the Mouth

• Suel chiseling: The skull’s “teeth” are masonry caps—Investigation DC 12 reveals underlying white stone with Suel angles.
• The crucified orc: Searching reveals a rough map scrap (a tooth-icon repeated—your fang markers) and a bone charm etched with a triangle over wave (Temple remnant sign).
• Empty bottles: Craft check (Brewer’s Supplies DC 11) ties the rot-spirits to a pirate still upriver (future hook).

Success & Next Steps

Breaching the guard puts the party into the Temple Galleries. Keep orc numbers fluid with the response clock so the fight flows forward. Your targets remain:

• The Asbury Treasure (ledger + heirloom chest fragments), and
• Thuldon Rockspitter, held by orcs for his smithing—or promised to something worse below.

If things go truly south, remember: these raiders are on a sortie, not a siege. They’ll cut and run rather than die to the last—leaving a trail to the deeper temple for NA-12.