Navigating the Nettlewood

Before the PCs even come across Thistletop, they run the risk of getting rather lost in the tangled maze of the Nettlewood. While Thistletop is easy to locate simply by heading to the coast and following the shoreline, it is difficult to access from below in such a manner. It is very likely that your party will head through the wilderness to the goblin fortress. To do so they will have to defeat a skill challenge, or accidentally stumble across a bloodthirsty hobgoblin patrol (these hobgoblins have no connection to Thistletop and are nothing more than bandits keeping an eye on the nearby highway).

Skill Challenge: Navigating the Nettlewood

Setup: The Nettlewood is a tangled, confusing mess of trees and brambles. To make matters worse, the sun overhead is obscured by a natural canopy, making travel direction difficult to gauge. Thistletop is here somewhere, but too many missteps and trouble could find the party first.

Note: This skill challenge is practically identical to the Lost in the Wilderness sample skill challenge presented in the Dungeon Master's Guide.

Complexity: 2 (6 successes before 3 failures)
Level: 2 (250 xp)
Primary Skills: Endurance, Nature, Perception

Endurance (DC 11): You forge ahead, shrugging off the snagging nettles and ever-growing weariness from your continued trek through the forest. At least two of the successes gained in this skill challenge must be from this skill in order to complete the challenge. A failed check indicates that all members of the party lose one healing surge, in addition to counting as a failure for the challenge.

Nature (DC 11): You're able to advise your companions on how to deal with the hazards of the Nettlewood, picking out the best-used trails to follow and avoiding dead-ends and briar patches. At least one of the successes gained in this skill challenge must be from this skill in order to complete the challenge. A failed check indicates that all members of the party lose one healing surge, in addition to counting as a failure for the challenge.

Perception (DC 6): You point out an obscured path for the party to take, or notice a hidden patch of nettles that you ought to avoid. Using this skill doesn’t count as a success or failure for the challenge, but instead provides a +2 bonus or –2 penalty to the next character’s Endurance or Nature check.

Success: You finally come across one of the entrances to the goblin warren leading to Thistletop. While the trek was challenging, you are more or less in one piece. Thistletop awaits.

Failure: After one wrong turn to many, you stumble out of the tangled undergrowth and into a clearing. A number of burly goblinoid creatures turn towards you and chuckle to themselves, drawing nasty-looking weapons in the anticipation of another set of victims.

If the PCs fail the skill challenge, they need to contend with a pack of hobgoblin bandits. I suggest the following encounter for a party of five adventurers:

• 2 Hobgoblin Archers
• 3 Hobgoblin Soldiers
• 1 Hobgoblin Warcaster

Total: 900 xp (Level 4 Encounter)

Soon after they contend with the hobgoblins, they manage to find the entrance to the goblin warren and Thistletop. The party does not need to complete the skill challenge a second time.