Adventure Site Contest 3: Twin Falls

Written by Squeen
For AD&D, levels unspecified (Hill Giant rassiln’)
Waterfall Pass
The source of the Feyderlyne is revealed here to be a tidy lake feed by two majestic waterfalls. The northern fall is easily the more impressive, tumbling 230-ft down the mountainside. The southern feed is less majestic, cascading modestly down a less extreme grade.
Along the northern fall, an narrow trail with sporadic carved and natural steps climbs aggressively. To the east, another trail hugs the lower watercourse through a deep ravine overhung with pines and cedars.     
   There's something very different about the "outdoor" adventure site. They're very rare compared to the standard inside-the-walls dungeon, and I think there are several reasons. First, of course, there's the evolutionary reason. Chainmail and similar wargames took place on wide outdoor battlefields, only shifting to a recognizable D&D game mode once the little fighting guys snuck through underground tunnels. Secondly, there's an almost dismaying amount of freedom in an open, unwalled environment, so much so that players get nervous, not just dungeon masters. The third reason is probably shown here...having an outdoor site is a much tougher artistic requirement to convey as well.
   Enter Squeen's Twin Falls:

   Adventure Site Contest is not an art contest. Holy smokes though, I love this sketch. It makes me want to print it out and place it in front of my players, making them "ooh" and "aah" at all the muted, pretty colors and fine linework. This is also a clearly designed site, a trio of paths meeting at a high waterfall confluence, useful in a wide variety of settings. This map doesn't really need exploration, per se, but there are navigation and pathing choices. The giant cottages, on the other hand, just sort exist.
   I think the story here is pretty obvious from the map(s). Two hill giant "brothers" (actually a separated ettin) make their home at the titular twin falls, challenging passers-by to wrestling match; if the passer loses, he's forced to be the giant's servant for a year. Classical/fairytale feel to that. Pretty simple.
   Beyond the giants, there are gnoll servants, wild boar livestock, stirges in the cave, and electric eels (maxed HD) in the lake. Not a lot of threat really, but the giant “brothers” have that very weird backstory that does actually apply if they’re tricked into wrestling each other or hopping into the magic-dispelling lake, that turns them back into a single ettin, makes their magic cottages turn to dust, and gives your rather confused players a “gee that was odd” moment. Otherwise, everything here is very normal, with chances of the gnolls out doing chores along with a giant or two, the boars gamboling about playfully, and the eels just chilling.
   There’s an insane amount of loot here for what is otherwise a pretty small/short adventure site. Aforementioned lake has a magic meteor stone in the bottom, capable of being harnessed for wishes. The giants’ cottages are filled with enormous piles of gold and jewelry, along with magic like a Ring of Warmth, potions and scrolls, and a freaking Javelin of Lightning. Not what I would put behind twelve HD of eels or a pair of eight+1 HD giants. Innate magic resistance from drinking the lakewater doesn’t come close to buffing these critters enough to protect such a haul.
   Placement of this adventure site is pretty easy, just have a stream’s headwaters be in some hills. I’m more concerned about the scope here, ideally this is a place that gets visited multiple times but the line between “TPK” and “steamrolls in an hour for all treasure” probably isn’t very wide on this one. Drop-dead gorgeous map though.