The lord of a large but sparsely populated fief (mainly due to steep hills and thick forest) has a headache. His bailiffs have reported difficulty in collecting taxes from the serfs and freemen and recently, some of them have disappeared, along with bodyguards. Fearing a peasant revolt, the lord has ask for succor and the adventurers got wrapped into it.
- The greedy bailiffs have cooked up the entire story; the lord is a weak-willed man, relying mainly on his chief steward. Recently, the steward and the bailiffs under him have been hoarding portions of the taxes and sending them off to an unknown destination. The disappeared bailiffs and guards are those who are “done away” with because they have stumbled upon the fact or begin to have inkling of what is happening.
- A peasant revolt is indeed going to happen, but it is going to be led by those “disappeared bailiffs”. A mole remains within the manor to coordinate the effect. The adventurers, if they do checks, would realise that large stock of weapons and foodstuff have been consistently delivered a certain guard tower and barracks on top of the tower. Whether lord deserves whatever it is coming to him is up to the GM and adventurers to decide.
- Due to the difficult terrain, unchecked forest and the sparseness of the settlements, it was easy for a band of outlaws to move into the fief. They began first by stealing sheep and attacking merchants at the border and now turn to the bailiffs. They have coerced cooperation with the peasants and the freemen by threat of force and for the less honorable, gold. There has been talk of a big raid on the manor and the keep…and some of the serfs and even guards may be partaking in it…
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