Drop Zone: Tears of Tum-Bak-Taran

By Justin R. Lilly

Genre: Fantasy

System: Pathfinder Roleplaying Game

Appropriate Level: Adjustable for any number of adventurers from 1st to 20th level although low to mid-levels tend to work better.

Background: The Taraza Flower- a special and unique herb that grows deep in the jungle, near the village of Tum-Bak-Taran. When properly fermented Taraza nectar is an unmatched catalyst for creating healing potions. Naturally, demand for Taraza nectar is incredibly high, and the pressures of supplying enough have radically altered the fabric of Tum-Bak-Taran’s peaceful society. This Drop Zone adventure focuses more on political intrigue while still giving the PC’s leeway to murderize their way to a solution if they see fit. Will they support Oronin’s rights as leader and make a massive profit with Pishtac or will Kurosin rise under the tutelage of Melana to save Taraza from over-harvesting?

Tum-Bak-Taran is a mostly human village nestled in the bend of a small unnamed jungle stream. Unlike many other mostly human settlements, Tum-Bak-Taran is openly multiethnic. Sometime in the distant past a tribe of goblins and a tribe of humans came together for mutual benefit. The small speedy goblins found a niche gathering jungle fruits and herbs while the stronger, sturdier humans focused on cultivating the nagawa root, nutritious but notoriously difficult to actually pull from the ground. The two segments of society have been living together in relative peace for a time uncounted. Recently, Tum-Bak-Taran has been become known as a supply outpost for remote jungle expeditions. If you’re heading out, you “stop at Taran or you’re not getting your Bum-Bak.”

What is a Drop Zone encounter?

A Drop Zone encounter is not an adventure in the usual sense, but is designed as a finite, independent area you can drop into most any campaign world. Each encounter is a geographic area that contains specific components, i.e. structures, events, creatures, items, effects, etc. All components are fully detailed along with several variations.

What a Drop Zone encounter doesn’t have is a specific plotline, an expected outcome. How your PCs react to the components of the encounter or how the components react to the PCs isn’t preordained. You are provided with numerous options and ideas to pick and choose from, all to help you mold this encounter towards your group’s and your campaign’s unique needs.

You can weave each Drop Zone into the storyline of your own home brew campaign or simply use each as a short diversion between adventures. Either way, Drop Zones are a quick and effortless way to spice up the more unremarkable portions of your campaign world. Remember to read the entire encounter and all additional information before attempting to run your players through it. Enjoy!