ADVENTURE:

THE LOST VILLAGE

ENCOUNTERS: EIGHT
DIFFICULTY: HARD
DURATION: 60-90 MINUTES

DESIGNED AND MAPPED

BY
JUSTIN HALLIDAY
Hero Kids Adventure Adventure Intro
This adventure requires a copy of the Hero Kids RPG Today’s trouble starts in Rivenshore when the town
to play, and these extra materials are required: sheriff finds the kids after their training.
• Six-sided dice (d6s) As you finish a hard day’s training and walk back
• Pencil and eraser towards Rivenshore, you see the sheriff waiting for
• Hero Cards for each player you.
• Monster Cards for the monsters “Looks like trouble again. Winter’s first snow fell
• Print-outs of the encounter maps today and we haven’t heard from the villagers down at
Willowsdell on the west side of the bay. They’ve never
• Stand-up minis for the heroes and monsters
missed the last wagon before winter, until now.”
Background He continues.
“We’re worried that something’s happened there,
The heroes all live in the same village, Rivenshore,
maybe a scourge or a terrible hex.”
which is nestled in a tight valley beneath a towering
mountain. A river runs past the village and flows into He finishes, “Get down there, find out what’s been
a small bay. happening, and sort it out.”
Rivenshore would be a beautiful place to live, if it He hands you a map showing the location of
weren’t beset by an endless series of calamities. Willowsdell.
“It’s up to you to decide how you want to get there.”
Adventure Overview Give the kids the map of The Brecken Vale and show
In The Lost Village, the kids must travel to a distant them the location of the village.
village – Willowsdell – and rescue the villagers who’ve
been captured by lizardkin!
This adventure expands on the experiences in
previous adventures by giving players options in how
they get to the lost village and how they tackle the
challenges they find there.

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Encounter 1: Planning the Trip Map
A larger version of this map is included with the
The first encounter is a role-playing scene where the
encounter maps at the end of this adventure.
kids need to work out how their heroes are going to
get to Willowsdell.
The kids should have the map of The Brecken Vale, so
they can work out how to get from Rivenshore (the
town on the river) down to Willowsdell which is the
little town on the south-west coast of the bay.

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Role-Playing Conclusion
In this role-playing scene, the heroes can converse Once the kids have decided which route to take, the
with the sheriff or take ability tests (detailed in the sheriff will make the preparations:
Ability Tests section) to work out the best way to
reach the village. Overland:
If asked, the sheriff offers two routes: overland by The sheriff agrees with your choice.
pony or down the river and across the bay by boat.
“Okay, I’ll make sure your ponies are ready for the
If asked about danger, the sheriff knows that brigands trek to Willowsdell. Get everything you need and
(bandits) have been seen on the trail between meet at the corral.”
Rivenshore and Willowsdell. He also knows that with
You quickly prepare to travel and meet at the corral
the coming winter there’s a strong chance of foul
where your ponies are stabled. You mount your pony
weather on the bay, which could be dangerous.
and head west out of Rivenshore, crossing the
Ability Tests Camarva river, then turn south and follow the trail
In addition to gaining information from the sheriff, that runs alongside the river towards Willowsdell.
the kids can also have their heroes perform a number Overland travelers proceed to Encounter 2a: Bandits.
of ability tests to see if they know some of this
information already:
By boat:
• Intelligence tests (Knowledge/Lore) at difficulty 4
The sheriff agrees with your choice.
to know that there are two routes to the village
(overland and by boat). “Okay, I’ll go see Bern the Fisher and get him to take
you to Willowsdell by boat. Get everything you need
• Intelligence tests (Knowledge/Talking) at
and meet at the dock.”
difficulty 5 to know that brigands have held up
travelers on the road to Willowsdell. You quickly prepare to travel and meet Bern the
Fisher at the dock. He pushes his little sailboat off and
• Intelligence tests (Knowledge/Nature) at difficulty
you begin your journey to Willowsdell.
5 to know that there’s likely to be bad weather on
the bay this time of the year. Boat travelers proceed to Encounter 2b: Storm.

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Encounter 2a: Brigands Encounter Intro
Before the ambush, read this:
This encounter occurs on the road to Willowsdell.
As it turns out, there are brigands on the road to After making camp on the first night of the journey,
Willowsdell, and they’re waiting to ambush travelers. you wake up the next morning to dark clouds. You
saddle up and continue along the narrow dirt track to
There are tons of potential resolutions for this
Willowsdell.
encounter, such as:
• Talking to them and scaring them off Ability Tests
• Paying them off (gold or equipment) Have the kids roll an Intelligence test
• Sneaking or running past them (Tracking/Perception) at difficult 5 to notice the
• Fighting them bandits before they spring their trap.
If they succeed, then they notice the bandits first:
• Ambushing them back
The track narrows, with cliffs on one side and dense
Map trees on the opposite. You pull your pony up as you
notice movement on a ledge above the track.
If they fail, they walk into the ambush:
After four hours in the saddle you’re thankful to reach
the shade of a steep cliff. But before you can enjoy the
cool shade, you’re surprised by movement from above;
it’s brigands!
From here, the details of the encounter are up to you
(based on what the kids want their heroes to do).
If they walk into the ambush it could turn into a
straight fight, or the heroes could talk to the brigands
before they attack (Intelligence test Talking), or the
heroes could sneak past the ambush (Dexterity test
Sneaking/Tracking), or even scale the cliffs and flip
the ambush (Dexterity test Sneaking/Tracking).
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Encounter Features For extra challenge, you can add another baddie:
The forest track enters this encounter area at the
Brigand Swordsman
north. The brigands use the ledge above the road for
their ambush, but there is a higher ledge that the
heroes can use to ambush their ambushers! The
Tactics
wooded squares require two squares of movement. The brigand leader stands on the road to block the
heroes’ path using melee attacks. The archers shoot
Monsters down at them from the ledge above the road.
This encounter features brigands who use melee and
ranged attacks against the heroes.
Conclusion
There are many possible conclusions, such as this:
1 Hero: 1 x Brigand Leader
You defeat the brigands and the road to Willowsdell
2 Heroes: 1 x Brigand Leader
lies open to you.
1 x Brigand Archer
Alternatively:
3 Heroes: 1 x Brigand Leader
You continue your journey slightly poorer, but
2 x Brigand Archers
avoided a dangerous battle.
4 Heroes: 1 x Brigand Leader
Or this:
3 x Brigand Archers
The brigands shout threats as you gallop past, but your
Use these health boxes to mark off damage:
pony carries you to safety.
Brigand Leader Or even this:
You lead your pony out of the bushes further down the
Brigand Archer track, having cunningly avoided the greedy brigands.
The brigands are quite tough, so if the heroes are
damaged in combat with the brigands then reward
Brigand Archer
them with some potions, then allow the players’
heroes to take a short rest to remove some damage.
Brigand Archer The next encounter is Encounter 3: Willowsdell.

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Encounter 2b: Storm Ability Tests
To safely get to the shore, the kids must succeed at
This encounter occurs on the water on the way to
three Strength, Dexterity, or Intelligence tests
Willowsdell.
(Sailing). If there’s one hero, then the difficulty is 3,
As warned, the weather closes in during the trip, and a
two heroes is at difficulty 4, three heroes is at
dangerous storm threatens the heroes’ boat. They
difficulty 5, and four heroes is at difficulty 6.
must work to weather the storm and reach their
All of the kids roll at the same time, and only one
destination.
hero needs to beat the difficulty to succeed the test.
Encounter Intro If all heroes fail the test, they all take 1 damage.
Read this introduction first: If the heroes fail three tests (so they’re KO’d), then
After mooring the boat overnight in a small inlet, Bern they wash up on the shore in the conclusion.
sets sail first thing in the morning to get you to Conclusion
Willowsdell before the weather closes in.
If the heroes succeed the ability tests:
You make good time and catch sight of Willowsdell on
Despite the driving rain and huge surf, you help Bren
the horizon just before noon. Unfortunately, the sight
to bring the boat through the surf and safely to shore.
of the town is ruined when the heavens open and fierce
winds kick up dangerous waves. If they’re KO’d:
“Grab those ropes and help me get us to shore!” Bern A huge wave breaks over the boat and you tumble into
commands. blackness. The next thing you know, you wake up
lying on the coarse sand. You look around and see
Bren drag himself over to the damaged hull of the boat.
Allow the players to have their heroes take a short
rest to remove some damage.
The next encounter is Encounter 3: Willowsdell.

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Encounter 3: Willowsdell Ability Tests
The kids can perform an Intelligence ability test
The third encounter brings the heroes to Willowsdell,
(Tracking/Perception) at difficult 5 to recognize that
the titular lost village.
many of the footprints belong to lizardkin (reptilian
The heroes find the village abandoned and must work footprints, three toes).
out what has happened to the people of Willowsdell:
they’ve been captured by a group of lizardkin! On close inspection, you notice that there are two
distinct types of footprints; human and three-toed
Encounter Intro lizardkin prints.
Read this introduction first: Lizardkin are fiercely territorial, and attack all other
With some trepidation, you complete the last part of humanoids that they encounter in their range. But
your journey and approach Willowsdell. The village is they don’t normally venture into inhabited areas, so
nestled in the midst of a thick wood and you follow the the appearance of lizardkin here is unusual.
path through the trees until it opens into a large
Conclusion
clearing.
Once the kids decide to have their heroes follow the
Before you stands Willowsdell. It’s a small village –
footsteps (or come up with something else), continue
barely a hamlet – of two dozen houses which are
to the next encounter (or somewhere else).
clustered around a central well.
Read this:
Exploration The footprints lead west out of the village and into the
Following the introduction, the kids’ heroes are thick forest that surrounds Willowsdell.
standing at the edge of the village. The kids need to
The next encounter is Encounter 4: Forest Clearing
work out what’s happened by exploring the
abandoned village and finding clues to what’s
happened.
By looking around the village, the heroes notice
footprints leading into the forest. By succeeding at an
ability test, they can work out that the footprints
belong to humans and their lizardkin captors.

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Encounter 4: Forest Clearing Ability Tests
The kids can also have their heroes perform a number
The fourth encounter takes place when the heroes
of ability tests to work out where the footprints go:
follow the footprints to a forest clearing. Here they
hopefully find the hidden entrance of a cave. • Intelligence tests (Tracking) at difficulty 4 notice
that the footprints continue through the bushes and
Encounter Intro into the cave behind.
Read this introduction first: • Intelligence tests (Nature) at difficulty 5 to notice
You follow the footprints through the forest. that the bushes are slightly wilted, and have been
Eventually, they lead to the edge of a dense stand of taken from elsewhere to cover the entrance of the
shrubs and trees. A rocky cliff rises up behind the cave.
foliage. • Intelligence tests (Perception) at difficulty 6 to
notice the cave hidden behind the bushes.
Exploration
Following the introduction, the kids’ heroes are Conclusion
standing in a forest clearing. The clearing is a dead- Once the kids have discovered the secret cave and
end, but the footprints lead up to the bushes at the decide to follow the footprints inside:
base of the cliff. You quietly push your way through the bushes.
The kids (or their heroes) need to work out that the The next encounter is Encounter 5: Winding Cave
footsteps go through the bushes and into a cave that
is hidden behind them.

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Lair of the Lizardmen Encounter 5: Winding Cave
First, here’s a quick overview of the lizardmen’s This encounter is the entrance of lizardkin’s cave lair.
underground lair: It has a trap.
Map

Encounter Intro
When the heroes enter this area, read this:
You step out of the light and into a dark tunnel.
After a few moments your eyes adjust to the light, and
you see that the tunnel immediately splits into two
branches.
The heroes start at the far right, proceed to the t- Encounter Features
intersection, and then to the north or south. This cave is dimly lit, with a gravel floor and natural
rock walls. The cave splits around a central pillar,
with all of the footprints following north passage.
The south branch is unused - because it is trapped.

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The Ability Tests section details how to deal with this To avoid falling into the pit, have the players roll a
encounter. Dexterity test (Traps) at difficulty 5 for each hero.
Ability Tests If a hero succeeds the test, then that hero has
successfully avoided the trap.
Immediately have all players make an Intelligence test
(Perception/Tracking) for each hero. With lightning reflexes you manage to jump aside and
If they roll a 4, they see that the footprints all go to avoid falling into the pit.
the right: If a hero fails the ability test, then they have been
You notice that the footprints follow the right branch damaged by the trap. Roll a d6 to work out the
of the cave. damage from the trap.
If anyone gets 6 (or 5 if they know something about • If they roll a 1 or 2, they take 1 damage.
traps) then they also notice the trap in the left branch: • If they roll a 3 or 4, they take 2 damage.
You notice a slight outline in the dirt of the left branch • If they roll a 5 or 6, they take 3 damage.
of the tunnel, it’s a pit trap! You slip sideways and tumble through the air for a
Then let them trigger the trap and then avoid it: moment before crashing to the floor of the pit trap.

You poke the trap door with your weapon. It swings After they sort out the damage, get them out:
open to reveal a deep pit, the bottom of which is filled You scramble out of the other side of the pit.
with sharp sticks and rocks. Allow the players to have their heroes take a short
If no one notices the trap (by succeeding the previous rest to remove some damage.
ability test), then don’t mention the trap and let them Conclusion
continue, maybe with this bit of misdirection:
When they continue to the west:
You hear the faint sound of movement in the distance.
The left and right tunnel branches rejoin and after just
If they choose to continue along the left branch of a few more steps you see the flickering light of torches
the cave, then they will fall for the trap: from the tunnel ahead.
As you step forward the ground beneath your feet The next encounter is Encounter 6: Guard Post
begins to collapse.

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Encounter 6: Guard Post Encounter Intro
Before they reach the intersection proper:
The heroes head deeper into the lizardkin lair and
come upon a guard post at a tunnel intersection. You pause in the tunnel. Ahead of you an intersection
Solutions include: is illuminated by flickering light from several torches
that are jammed into cracks in the walls.
• Attack them
• Sneak past them Ability Tests
• Ambush them Have the kids roll an Intelligence test
(Tracking/Perception) at difficulty 5 for each hero to
Map
see the lizardkin skulking in the shadows.
If they succeed, they notice the lizardkin:
You notice the thick scaly tail of a lizardkin skulking
in the shadows.
If they fail, they walk into the ambush:
You hear the clatter of loose pebbles from somewhere
deeper in the tunnels.
At this point the lizardkin could be lying in wait to
ambush intruders or they could be sleeping, which
would give the heroes a chance to sneak past or to
launch a surprise attack (although this implies a pre-
emptive attack from the heroes).
From here, the details of the encounter are up to you
(based on what the kids want their heroes to do).

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Encounter Features Tactics
This encounter takes place in a simple t-intersection. Once alerted, the lizardkin attack the heroes with
Nothing exceptional here unless the players decide to melee attacks. They also try to stop the heroes from
make a run to the north or south, which could get escaping down the north or south corridors.
complicated!
Conclusion
Monsters The likely conclusion is that the heroes defeat the
This encounter features lizardkin that use melee lizardkin warriors:
attacks against the heroes. You manage to overcome the last of the guards,
1 Hero: 1 x Lizardkin Warrior sending its lizard-like body crashing to the ground.
2 Heroes: 2 x Lizardkin Warrior After catching your breath for a moment, you see that
3 Heroes: 3 x Lizardkin Warrior the tunnels continue to the north and south.
4 Heroes: 4 x Lizardkin Warrior Allow the players to have their heroes take a short
rest to remove some damage.
Use these health boxes to mark off damage:
If the players choose to head north, then the next
Lizardkin Warrior encounter is Encounter 7: Prison Cells.
If they take the south path, then the next encounter is
Encounter 8: Lizardkin Shrine.
Lizardkin Warrior

Lizardkin Warrior

Lizardkin Warrior

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Encounter 7: Prison Cells Ability Tests
The players’ heroes can each roll an Intelligence test
This dead-end tunnel has four cells. There’s a fair bit (Perception) at difficulty 4 to listen at the doors,
of flexibility here, so feel free to improvise in this where they can hear:
area. Generally, the four cells contain:
• 1: Lizardkin murmurs (Guard room)
• 1: Guard Room
• 2: Human speech (Human prisoners)
• 2: Human prisoners
• 3: Nothing (Lizardkin prisoner)
• 3: Lizardkin prisoner
• 4: Nothing (or a sound from whatever you want to
• 4: Empty, or maybe something else? put in here)
Map Two of the doors are locked (2 and 3), so the heroes
can force these open with a successful Strength test at
difficulty 6. Breaking these doors will alert the guards
in room 1 and trigger a fight.
Room 1
The guards in room 1 have the keys for the locked
rooms, but they won’t give them up without a fight!
The details for the lizardkin guards are on the
Monsters section.
Room 2
The humans in room 2 are the remnants of a group of
guards who were trying to defend the village against
the lizardkin’s attacks.
They tell the heroes that the rest of the villagers fled
Encounter Intro into the forest, where they still hide. Unfortunately,
You move on from the intersection and notice that the these humans are in poor shape, and cannot assist the
left and right rock walls are each set with two sturdy heroes fighting against the remaining lizardkin.
doors. The tunnel ends just a few feet further on.

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Room 3 Use these health boxes to mark off damage:
The lizardkin prisoner in room 3 has been locked up
Lizardkin Warrior
here by the other lizardkin because he disagreed with
the band’s raid on the human village.
He can communicate with basic language, and can be Lizardkin Warrior
convinced to fight alongside the heroes against the
other lizardkin with a successful Intelligence test
Lizardkin Warrior
(Speaking) at difficulty 6. If he chooses to join the
heroes, he’s a lizardkin savage, so you can find his
monster card at the back of this adventure. Lizardkin Warrior
Otherwise he will abandon the lair and flee the area.
Tactics
Room 4 (Intentionally Blank)
Once alerted, the lizardkin guards attack the heroes
with melee attacks. They also try to stop the heroes
from escaping down the south corridor and could
even try to lock the heroes in one of the cells.
Conclusion
Encounter Features Again, the likely conclusion is that the heroes defeat
As explained in the Ability Tests section, each of the the lizardkin guards (otherwise you must improvise):
rooms has different inhabitants with different goals. You take the keys from the guards and use them to
Monsters unlock the remaining doors.
This encounter features lizardkin warriors that use If the heroes have fought the guards, allow them to
melee attacks against the heroes. take a short rest to remove some damage.
1 Hero: 1 x Lizardkin Warrior If the heroes are damaged and low on potions, let
2 Heroes: 2 x Lizardkin Warrior them find some in the guards’ room.
Once finished, the final encounter is: Encounter 8:
3 Heroes: 3 x Lizardkin Warrior
Lizardkin Shrine.
4 Heroes: 4 x Lizardkin Warrior
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Encounter 8: Lizardkin Shrine Encounter Intro
The final climactic encounter takes place in a shrine When the heroes enter this area, read this:
that the lizardkin have reestablished in their lair. The tunnel opens into a finely decorated chamber.
Here a lizardkin shaman is performing a ritual to The walls and floor are carved with delicate scale-like
reclaim the shrine for their kind. patterns. Against the far wall is a stone altar, behind
Map which a lizardkin shaman is performing some strange
ritual.
As you enter, he looks up from his incantations and
speaks to you.
“Thiss iss an ancient temple of the lizardkin, losst for
many yearsh, but now reclaimed for all creaturess of
sscale and tail.”
“You defile thish ssacred place by ssetting foot in it,
and now you must pay for your transsgressssion.”
He makes a movement and more of his kind emerge
from the shadows and attack!
Encounter Features
This rectangular room features a low stone altar and
several four-foot high pillars that support flaming
sconces.
Ability Tests
The players can have their heroes perform an
Intelligence test (Lore) at difficulty 5 to know that
this ancient temple of the lizardkin was abandoned
long ago when the lizardkin were driven out of the
area by human settlement.

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Monsters Use these health boxes to mark off damage:
This encounter features the lizardkin shaman, who
Lizardkin Shaman
uses magic attacks, lizardkin archers who use ranged
attacks, and possibly a lizardkin warrior who uses
melee attacks against the heroes. Lizardkin Archer
1 Hero: 1 x Lizardkin Shaman
1 x Lizardkin Archer Lizardkin Archer
2 Heroes: 1 x Lizardkin Shaman
2 x Lizardkin Archer Lizardkin Warrior
3 Heroes: 1 x Lizardkin Shaman
2 x Lizardkin Archer Lizardkin Archer
1 x Lizardkin Warrior
4 Heroes: 1 x Lizardkin Shaman Lizardkin Archer
4 x Lizardkin Archer
1 x Lizardkin Warrior Tactics
The lizardkin shaman tries to use his primal shackles
attack to freeze the heroes, making them vulnerable
to the archers’ ranged attacks. If the warrior is
present, he uses his melee attacks against the heroes
and will defend the shaman with his staggering attack.

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Conclusion If they’re already free or once they’re been freed by
the players, read this:
Once all of the monsters are KO’d, read this:
The human prisoners are overjoyed to be rescued.
“Merssy, merssy,” hisses the battered shaman, “we’ll go
and never return to this accurssed place! Pleash!” “Huzzah,” they shout, “you’ve driven the fiends away,
and made Willowsdell safe for us poor farmers again.”
The shaman motions to the other lizardkin and they
all rush to the tunnel, the slap-slap-slap of their scaly Together you all leave the lizardkin lair.
feet echoes back to you as they flee the lair. Outside, you scale the cliff above the cave entrance
and dislodge a large boulder which tumbles down and
If the lizardkin prisoner is with the heroes:
– with an earth-shaking crash – it seals shut the
The lizardkin prisoner approaches you, “I return to foreboding tunnel entrance.
our tribe and make ssure these traitorsh keep promish You escort the guards back to the village, and from
and make shure sstrong peace holdsh between our there they lead you deep into the forest, where you
kindsh.” finally come to a large clearing. The guards give a
If the heroes have already found the humans in the distinct whistle, and after a few moments villager after
cells, then they enter the shrine at this point. villager emerges from the trees and bushes and rush to
Otherwise the heroes need to free them from the cells you to give their thanks for your heroic rescue.
(and possibly free the lizardkin prisoner if you like, That night the villagers hold a feast in your honor.
but luckily the guards have fled with the shaman). Late into the night the village folk crowd around and
listen as the guards tell them how you defeated the
lizardkin shaman and scared the raiders back to their
tribe with promises to never return.
With the people of the lost village rescued, you make
the long journey back to Rivenshore.

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