“ The air had grown chill the minute they descended into the strange valley, which was unmarked on any of their maps. It was so strange here, devoid of animal life and completely silent. The horses were nervous the entire journey through the vale. As they set about to collect firewood for the campfire they could hear their own voices as dim echoes through the eerie silence.
The food didn't taste anything that evening and their sleep was cold and troubled by nightmares. While they are clearing camp the next morning, one of them stumbles over a piece of stone jutting out of the ground nearby the horses. On closer inspection there seems to be runes engraved into the polished surface. The symbols true meaning is no more known among mere mortals and if they decide to dig deeper, they will discover that it is an ancient altar buried within the soil.
Any historically oriented party member will recognize the largest symbol to be the insignia of the powerful warlock who ruled this realm several centuries ago. At their departure from the area, something will seem amiss with one of the party members and all will remember the stories of the warlock's thousand curses.”
“ The Earthblood Warrens are a series of caverns in which dwell men who live around the Earthblood Vein, a river of magma. They use the magma from the Earthblood Vein to warm and light their homes and cook their food. The Warrens are several miles long, stretching along the banks of the Earthblood Vein, and since nobody wants to walk that far, the Earthbloodmen capture large, magma-swimming serpents, which they train and ride.”
“ <br />
A plague has hit the local area.<br />
In humans it affects only the most vulnerable, the children and the very old, and even than it's little more than a summer cold. 24 hours of sniffles and then it's gone, barely noticeable really.<br />
To sheep however it is fatal and the whole economy of the area is in serious trouble. If this keeps up the area could well be facing famine.<br />
Somebody (enter the PCs) must find the rare herbs needed to make a cure.”
