West of Hallowford, a wind-scoured yard sprawls across a shallow gully. Old timber gantries and plank platforms jut over the drop where logs were once winched and trimmed. At night, lanterns sway on tall posts. Fresh wagon ruts cut the clay. Locals say smugglers meet here to arm Grosskopf raiders.

Quest giver — Doran Fletch (NG human, carpenter working at the Stonecut Cooperage, nervous but civic-minded)

• Dialogue bits – Doran lets on that he’s seen a bit in his travels recently. He’s hinted about things but no one seems to pay him any heed whether out of ignorance or something else:
  • “Those lanterns aren’t for sawyers. Someone’s meeting out there after dark.”
  • “I saw fresh ruts by the old winch house. If they’re arming Grosskopf, we’ll feel it first.”
  • “Bring proof. Quiet if you can. I’ll get you a sample of the Smuggler’s Oath mark from an old job chit.”

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The Timber Yard

• Guard House: a small shelter, open with a stool.
• High Yard: Simple thatched roof open platforms on posts (10 ft high), catwalks with a simple rope handrail,stretch across a gully between the two hills. There are two ramps rising slightly on the east side. The lower one wraps around a set of ladders to a platform another 10′ up which is a lantern tower.
• Winch House: Low shed with block & tackle and a door on the easternmost section of wall facing north and another facing south – allowing one to walk from the ramp straight through to the south.;
• Gully Floor: Brush and discarded timbers; a sloped log slide (difficult terrain) used to move cargo unseen from the road.
• Signals: Lantern colors = codes (see Infiltration). A taut bell wire runs from the lantern tower to the winch house (Stealth DC 14 to notice).
• Office (walled, thatch roof): small 12×12 wooden room on the catwalk with a desk, stools and a ledger and a leather scroll case with a map labelled with contacts on both sides of the border

Environmental hazards (use 1–2):

• Creaking boards: First fast move on a catwalk → DEX save DC 12/14 or noise (alerts nearest guard).
• Rolling log: Shove action (Athletics vs 12/14) can send a waist-high log rolling 15 ft; on a hit, DC 13 STR save or prone.
• Loose gravel at slide: Entering the slide → DEX save DC 12/14 or fall 10 ft to the gully (1d6), prone.

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You can contrive a method for the party to learn of the Smuggler’s Oath (contact at the Rustjaw Circle in Zumkergrod, observing a deal secretly and passing DC to listen in, etc.). Otherwise, this will most likely be Scout/Ambush or Direct Assault. (click the triangle for specifics).

The “Smuggler’s Oath” (what it is & how to fake it)

A pocket chit with a carver’s mark, a wax trade seal, and a formula spoken on entry.

• Countersign at the gate:
  Guard: “What trade?”
  Correct: “Quiet timber.”
  Guard: “From where?”
  Correct: “Moon at back. Dust in teeth.” (meaning: came by the night road)
• Paper Oath (on the captain): “By mark and coin we harm none that don’t draw first; we move iron for buyers, not banners; we keep names off ledgers but weights true.”

Forging challenge (before infiltration; 3 successes before 2 failures):

• Investigation (DC 13/14): copy the carver’s mark from Doran’s sample.
• Forgery kit (INT or DEX, DC 13/14): mimic the wax seal impression.
• Deception (DC 13/14): practice the cadence of the formula.
• Insight (DC 12/13): spot the call-and-response rhythm.
• Sleight of Hand (DC 12/13): age the paper and smudge convincingly.

Failure consequence: First guard is suspicious (Disadvantage on your next Deception; on failure, he tugs the bell wire → alarm in 1 round).

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Approaches

• Infiltrate (Oath route): Use the countersign, present the chit, get ushered to the office to “weigh the iron.” From there you can lift the ledger, swap cargo marks, or plant false notes.
• Scout & ambush: Quiet climb to lantern tower; take out lookout, cut bell wire, signal a false color (green = “all clear,” red = “buyers here”) to isolate foes.
• Direct assault: Hit the winch house and gully team first; use rolling logs to break formations.

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Encounters (scale to APL; use your condensed blocks)

Lv 1–2:

• Yard: 3–4 Bandits on platforms + Smuggler Captain in winch house.
• On alarm: +1 Bandit from lantern tower; captain tries to flee with ledger down the back entrance and slide down the ladder into the gully (DEX 12 each round to keep footing).

Lv 3–4:

• Yard: Smuggler Captain + Barbarian Scout (Grosskopf contact) + 1–2 Berserkers near the slide; 1 Bandit at lantern tower.
• On alarm: berserker charges, scout blows a bone whistle calling a 2-bandit reserve from the gully.

Smuggler Captain: Advantage on checks to keep balance on beams/gantries; bonus action Shove if adjacent on a catwalk.

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Goals & evidence

• Primary: Confirm arms traffic to Grosskopf, seize ledger and/or contact map.
• Secondary: Capture a Grosskopf runner (the Barbarian Scout) for names/routes; or flip the captain with promise of a baronial pardon (Persuasion DC 15 with proof you can protect them).

Clues on site (pick 2):

• Crate marks: a wolf-tooth rune (Grosskopf) and a small black triangle chalked on two crates (EEG handler skimming a cut).
• Ledger lines: “Stone Teeth track—two nights hence—iron and tassels (axes & banner cords).”
• A folded safe-house list with three initials and tally marks.

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Rewards

• Coin: 75–150 gp from petty cash and bribes.
• Smuggler’s Map: marks a Grosskopf contact route (advantage on next Wilderness Navigation/Survival to intercept raiders; skip one random encounter).
• Optional Duke’s credit: Turn in evidence quietly → 25–50 gp bounty and a writ that gives advantage on one future legal/social check with Tenh officials.
• If you flip the captain: gain a safe-house sign; once later, you can call in 1 smuggler favor (free passage or info).

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Boxed dialogue snippets

• Gate guard (challenge): “What trade?” → “Quiet timber.” / “From where?” → “Moon at back. Dust in teeth.”
• Captain (cool, measuring): “Coin first, weights next, names… never.”
• Grosskopf scout (sneer): “Tenh sells iron or bleeds it. We take either.”

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Hand-off to the wider arc

• Doran will vouch for the party if needed.

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Condensed stat blocks

• Bandit (CR 1/8) — AC 12, HP 11, Scimitar +3 (1d6+1), Crossbow +3 (1d8+1)
• Smuggler Captain (CR 1) — AC 14, HP 32, Multiattack; advantage on balance checks on beams/gantries
• Scout (CR 1/2) — AC 13, HP 16, Shortsword +4 (1d6+2), Longbow +4 (1d8+2)
• Berserker (CR 2) — AC 13, HP 67, Greataxe +5 (1d12+3), Reckless Attack