Raven and the River King - A Summary

This adventure is adapted from the 5e module "Wrath of the River King". It has been adjusted to fit the continuity of the ongoing campaign and for level. The whole adventure came about because I read "The Wild Beyond the Witchlight," thought it was cool, and wanted to run it. The beginning of that adventure involves the characters wandering around, playing sideshow games, and helping some carnival workers. At the end of the first part of the module, one of them is crowned the Witchlight Monarch. From there, it was easy to imagine, that character being invited to a party at the Sugar Plum Fairy's castle and getting dragged into that adventure. 

15 - 16 Hiddumont 348 AC

While hiking toward the Bay of Balifor, Raven was transported via fairy ring to the Hamlet of Riverbend.

He found himself drawn into an investigation regarding the disappearance of the local miller's pregnant wife, Ellessandra. The miller, Froderick, was suspected of killing her. After discovering a portal to Faerie at the bottom of the mill pond, he was attacked by an Aranea named Lady Chitterling and her servants. Raven killed her in self-defense and recovered a mithral crown.

Not long after, he arrived at the Court of the Birch

Queen. To gain an audience with her, he entered a tournament. The first competition was an archery contest which he won easily. The second contest was a poetry reading and he was eliminated, although he did gain the queen's attention in the process. She informed him that a Sidhe lord named Flax and the hag, Jenny Greenteeth were stirring up sentiment against mortals in the River King's court. Flax claimed to have a right of sovereignty over Riverbend and was garnering support for an attack on the town to claim what was "rightfully" his.

Ellessandra arrived soon after and approached him, asking that he return to Riverbend and tell her husband to stop searching for her. She beseeched Raven to tell Froderick to resume making his offerings to the River King. She gave Raven her wedding ring and a note for her husband. Raven asked her to explain and she revealed that hers was an arranged marriage, meant to seal a pact between Froderick and the River King. In exchange for a percentage of the miller's flour, the River King would provide an enchanted mill stone and sifter, enabling the mill to run year-round and double its output. So long as the mill ran every day, Ellessandra would love him and be his wife. The hag Jenny Greenteeth ambushed Ellessandra on the bank of the mill pond and nearly drowned her. Froderick carried his wife to the local temple for healing and did not operate the mill that day, breaking both his deal with the River King and the enchantment that bound his wife to him. Ellessandra fled through a portal in the mill pond, arrived in Faerie and gave birth to a son who, due to the difference in the flow of time, had grown to adulthood and was known as Lord Flax.

Raven traveled to the River King's palace. On the way, he battled and slew a green dragon and was nearly drowned by river nymphs but the Blessing he received from Ægir and Rán saved him.

In the King's court, he dueled Jenny Greenteeth and

convinced the king to withdraw his military support from Lord Flax. Raven caught up to Flax at the Faerie-side of the mill pond and told him that the king had called off the invasion. Flax attacked Raven and the two fought, resulting in the fey lord's death even though the elf repeatedly offered Flax the chance to surrender.

Raven gave Ellessandra Lady Chitterling's crown as weregild for her son's death before leaving for Riverbend. Her note and wedding ring were enough to clear her husband's name and he was released from the local stockade.

Moments later, he found himself standing in front of a large log cabin. A throng of humanoid foodstuff, all sweets and other confections were gathered before it, cheering his arrival. A Gingerbread Man made his way to the front of the crowd, "Welcome home, milord. The little figure bows, "Marzipan, at your service."

Raven looked around confused, "What do you mean 'milord'? I don't understand."

The Gingerbread Man stopped, "What do you mean, sire? Are things not as expected?"

"I expected to be in Silvanesti. I was searching for goblins and then I was here," Raven replied, his frustration growing. 

"Sire, when Queen Marie was killed, her duties and powers passed to the nearest member of the Court. As the Witchlight Monarch, that was you."

Raven takes a deep breath, "Witchlight Monarch? I was at a carnival and won a few sideshow games. I assumed the title was... a meaningless honorific and the thing with Marie was just a dream."

"No, sire," Marzipan replies, "You are the new Sugar Plum Fairy."

"Then what did this whole River King ordeal have to do with that?"

"The Summer Queen wanted to see what you would do when presented with a crisis."

"She wanted to ... No. I am not doing this. There is a war I have to get back to. Find someone else."

"There will always be a war, sire, but, as you wish. I will return you to where we picked you up from."

There was a flash of light and Raven found himself standing back in the ring of mushrooms he left behind when the fairies abducted him. He looked around and discovered that he was alone. He muttered, "%@$@. How long was I gone?" He adjusted his pack and started down the trail, heading for the coast in pursuit of his companions.