Hawthorne Pass
Mountain Pass
Location Type Mountain Pass
A scout party has gone missing in Hawthorne Pass, and a secret in the alcove may explain their fate.
Features
- Jagged granite outcrops providing minimal shelter
- Clumps of hardy pine and thorny hawthorne bushes
- Frozen, trickling mountain stream running alongside parts of the trail
Inhabitants
- Mountain goats adapted to icy crags
- Occasional patrols of Cold Harbor scouts
- Stealthy hawks nesting on ledges
Secrets
- Concealed alcove behind a thicket of hawthorne bushes hiding an ancient hunter’s shrine
- Hidden narrow ledge above the main trail allowing a tactical vantage point
Treasure
- Small caches of preserved rations hidden by scouts
- Glinting veins of iron ore in exposed rock faces
Details
Hawthorne Pass serves as a vital but treacherous route through the western mountains; sheer cliffs and sudden snowdrifts make travel perilous, while sparse hardy flora dots the slopes.
Hook
A scout party has gone missing in Hawthorne Pass, and a secret in the alcove may explain their fate.
Read Aloud
You stand on a narrow, rugged pass through bitter, frost-clad peaks west of Cold Harbor, where icy winds bite and dark spruce trees cling to the rocky slopes.
GM Notes
- Extreme weather effects can hinder travel or combat
- Natural cover is sparse but vital for ambushes and sightings
- The ancient shrine holds clues to a lost mountain tribe