Description:
Copper Crossing is a mighty stone bridge that allows caravans to cross a major river that separates civilized areas from wilder areas. Merchants are always looking for new ways to profit, so even though the areas beyond Copper Crossing are dangerous, the bridge was built to make contact with far off kingdoms that could not be traded with by sea. Merchants are not the only ones known to use this bridge. Immigrants brave the wilder regions to reach new homelands, and on occasion, adventure-seeking nobles will embark on treks to explore the more uncivilized and uncharted areas or to visit relatives or associates in the regions beyond. The bridge is accessible for use by practically anyone, though like many long distance journeys through somewhat savage lands, making the trip over Copper Crossing is not one to be taken lightly. Most who chose to travel the region either travel with guards or travel quickly.

The river is a little less than half a mile wide and the bridge, including the supports that run into the land, brings the entire length of the structure to 2,600 feet. The bridge is forty feet wide. At each end a solid support section 100 feet long protrudes from the bank of the river. These supports are made of solid grey-speckled stone blocks, each one 4 by 4 by 4 feet in dimensions. The rest of the bridge over the water is made of 100 foot long arching sections with a supporting column at each end that disappears under the water. The supporting columns have no noticeable masonry as they were crafted by magical means, but the arches and the bridge itself were made of a variety of hand-shaped stone.

While not decorative, the stonework was built with aesthetics in mind and the pattern of bricks flows symmetrically over the whole structure, giving it an organized beauty. All of the stonework of the arches consists of very lightly colored bricks, while the sides are a much darker solid grey. A four foot high ledge lines either side and is made of the same dark grey stone. These run consistently down the entire length, only slowly declining at the end sections until at the edge of the bridge they slope down and vanish into the land.

Every 100 feet there is a support column. It is forty feet wide and six feet thick. This column reaches down to the riverbed and out of the water, suspending the bridge ten feet above the water’s surface. Each support column is unbroken, forming a solid wall separating the bridge’s underbelly into twenty-three nearly identical sections. This design makes it impossible to climb across the bridge lengthwise on its underbelly or swim directly beneath the bridge from one shore to the other. The stonework has a break DC of 50, a hardness of 8 and 1080 hp per 10 foot by 10 foot section. The climb DC for these columns is 22. The bottom sections are often wet and have a climb DC of 27. The support sections at each end of the bridge are made from reinforced stone. The sections are eight feet thick. They have a break DC of 45, a hardness of 8 and 1440 hp per 10 foot by 10 foot section. If someone attempts to climb the sides, the DC is 15. The pathway on the bridge is five feet thick and made from regular masonry. It has a break DC of 35, a hardness of 8 and 450 hp per 10 foot by 10 foot section. The ledges on the side are one foot thick and made from regular masonry. It has a break DC of 35, a hardness of 8 and 36 hp for each 4 foot by 10 foot section.

The bridge path is made of small, flat cobblestones that are in various degrees of wear, some having been replaced more recently than others. The color of the stone depends on when it was placed. The original stones are brownish, but newer stones have reddish or grey hues. The bridge itself is forty feet wide, making it an extremely impressive and costly structure, but as one of the few bridges across the river and the only one strong enough to support an entire train of carriages, it has traditionally been of economic importance, though it is not tolled.

A sign is placed on either side of the bridge. It is wooden and painted in orange-metallic lettering, standing three feet off the ground, two feet high and three feet wide. The sign reads “Copper Crossing” and has a feel and workmanship that makes it appear to have been painted by an eight year old. The wood is poorly cut and the calligraphy is readable, but far from artistic. A DC 5 Spot check reveals that the sign directly covers another sign of similar proportions. If the trouble is taken to move the sign, which is easy as the “Copper Crossing” sign is barely hammered into the ground, an excellently crafted and painted steel sign with the words “Righteous Run” engraved into the metal is revealed.

On the path near the ledge on the eleventh 100 foot section of the bridge is chiseled a list of names of all of the bridge’s former guardians. However, no title or epitaphs are listed, just the names. A DC 15 Knowledge Religion check reveals that some are names of paladins, former and present. A Gather Information check against the same DC reveals similar information, if the names are asked about in any town nearby.

Surrounding Area:
The river is a wide, slow moving body of water. At its center, the river reaches a depth of fifty feet. The current makes it easy to swim across, imposing no penalties to a Swim check. However, the length and depth makes it an effective natural barrier for many creatures that lack the ability to swim long distances. The water is relatively clean, having a slight green tint from plant life. There is plenty of life in the river, with ample opportunities for fishing. On occasion monsters have been known to take residence in the river and it is certainly possible that a scrag (see page 248 in the Monster Manual) or merrow ( see page 199 in the Monster Manual) may move into the river to take advantage of its abundant food sources.

On one side of the river lies a relatively open and peaceful area. Towns dot the landscape, and forests with mostly benign dwellers color the countryside. Some larger cities also reside there, as well as large patches of farmland. A notable path leads to the bridge from many of these cities, beaten in by years of travel and weather. The path changes in width, but is usually around twenty feet across as caravans moving goods travel down it often.

The other side of the river is a whole different environment. The banks are similar enough, but the swampy wetlands do not cease. A great deal of the terrain is wooded marshes, which are notorious for their troll (Monster Manual page 247) populations. The caravan trail continues in a winding fashion, weaving through the relatively dry areas. Mosquitoes are a common nuisance. The area has a moldy smell to it that never seems to dissipate. The occasional gray ooze (Monster Manual page 202) is also a creature of the area to fear. Merchants who use this path tend to travel in large caravans for protection and hire adventurer guards. Wealthy people also hire guards when traveling. Those without disposable resources often travel in small groups with fast horses to outrun any monsters. A black dragon is sighted on rare occasions; however dragon attacks on merchant caravans and travelers are unheard on.

Secret:
The presence of the guardian of the bridge, Oleander, is not much of a secret. The copper dragon goes out of his way to make himself known to the local travelers and loves talking to people. See below for a complete description of Oleander.

The bridge has two secrets associated with it. First, Oleander has dug a hidey-hole under the fourth arch of the bridge from the civilized side. In here, he keeps his stash of treasure, which is modest for a dragon, as he doesn’t do much in the way of hoarding. Mostly made of gifts from merchants and things lost by travelers, it mostly consists of metals, weapons, and some jewelry. See below for the contents of the hoard.

The second secret is the purpose of the bridge. While its most practical function is allowing the transit of goods cross-country, it also serves as the training ground for a good church devoted to protection. The church keeps its training facility tucked away in the marshland, hidden from society where it can shape and guide its members. The church trains a great deal of paladins and clerics to take the mantle of the protector and most find their calling early in life. Some, like Oleander, get this calling later in life and are not particularly suited to being a Lawful Good defender of the faith. For these people who honestly show a devotion to goodness, but have a meandering or chaotic heart, the church uses the bridge as a trial of loyalty. Many people have guarded this bridge over the years and the people who cross the bridge have been grateful to them, though the variety of guardians has been baffling to say the least and no sort of connection to each other or the church has been discovered. Oleander is the first dragon of any kind to serve this function and has been serving for two years. He has not made much progress, but keeps trying.

The service is simple: the guardian’s job is to keep trolls from crossing the bridge, get people safely across and to restrict known fugitives and smugglers from passing. As this is dangerous work, only very talented or powerful individuals who show signs of devotion to the righteous way are sent to take on this task. Success is measured by keeping the post diligently for a set period of time. Each failure to keep the position resets the amount of time required to achieve the successful completion of the task, and thus, the privilege of receiving proper training within the church. The usual time frame is one year and an applicant is allowed as many failures as is needed, until they succeed or give up. The only exception is if the applicant commits an evil act, in which case the position is forfeited and the church may seek to levy a punishment. Once the year of continuous service is complete, the guardian is invited into the church to receive formal training.

History:
In a great diplomatic moment, the commissioning of Copper Crossing, known at that point as The Path of Atonement, was the first joint national endeavor to create a steady means of trade and transportation between the two kingdoms. A hundred unskilled workers, a handful of mages and four master masons were brought together to make the bridge possible and the work was completed in a year and a quarter. However, this does not include the mining of the high quality stone used in the construction of the body and the half year of planning this unprecedented structure. Tolls were enacted in order to make back the immense cost of the project and the bridge was widely used by travelers and merchants alike. No one minded the tolls as the bridge was convenient and a symbol of pride for the people.

Though the plan did succeed in bolstering commerce, it brought the largest profit to an unwanted source. The black dragons that lived in the swamplands began taking advantage of the convenience of the structure. Raiding caravans became much easier than attempting to attack towns and the merchants began suffering the loss of their goods and often their lives. All but the richest merchants who could afford adventurers to escort their goods abandoned the bridge and the path along with it. What was once lauded as the greatest economic achievement of the land was now considered the most foolish squandering of gold ever devised. The toll was removed and the bridge stood mostly unused.

This disuse lasted many years until a famous and brave paladin decided he wished to retire from his trade as Defender of Righteousness and start a church to train the next generation. Hearing of the plight of the people in this area and seeing such a magnificent piece of architecture going to waste, the paladin decided to convince the dragons to let go their stranglehold on the bridge and the people in the surrounding towns. Twelve smites later, the surviving black dragons agreed to an accord with the paladin never to attack a person using the path and never to cross the river where the bridge spanned. The paladin built his church and renamed the bridge Righteous Run. However, he kept the location of his church a secret and began recruiting people to uphold the values of good.

One day a sorcerer found the church and came to the paladin to learn the ways of righteousness. However, he was of the blood of the malicious black dragons that had plagued the area for so long and in the past had exemplified many of their vices. In his time, the sorcerer had crafted illusions to lure the caravans into vicious ambushes and cast enchantments to convince peasants to give him valuables and secrets he could use against others. He had come to see the error in his ways as time passed. He was growing older and felt completely alone with his wealth. The dragons had forsaken him as just another human who shunned them and they abandoned him after agreeing to the paladin’s accord.

The paladin thought on this and decided that any whose spirit was righteous deserved a chance to serve goodness. In order to test the devotion of the sorcerer, the paladin sent him to guard Righteous Run. While the dragon threat had died down, a troll threat was mounting as they were no longer pressed by the overpopulation of dragons. Twelve grueling months passed for the sorcerer on Righteous Run and through it all, he managed to use his power, his wit, and most importantly his good heart to help travelers safely cross and turn back any troll that sought to prey upon the innocents over the river. The paladin came and granted him training, which the sorcerer accepted, although in the end he chose to be a preacher of the faith rather than a paladin.

The bridge duty has been passed to similar individuals over the years. Many have died defending it and receive a hero’s burial as an honorary paladin for doing so. Some try for many years, but lack the discipline to hold the position. Others, like the sorcerer, succeed, and learn the discipline required. Crossing the bridge serves as a symbolic transition between phases in their lives. On rare occasion, a cruel or deceitful soul is corrupted by the position of bridge keeper and begins abusing their power, charging tolls or harassing, bullying and robbing travelers, refusing to let them pass. Some even use the position to smuggle goods or take bribes to allow smuggled goods over. The scions of the church keep a sharp eye on those who represent them and rarely do such abuses last for over a month. In memory of the bridge’s guardians, the names of all who have completed the service or died during it is engraved into the path near the ledge, although in order to maintain the secret, no other information is written.

Oleander has been serving for about two years as the guardian of Righteous Run, which he renamed Copper Crossing after himself. He has been caught leaving his post unattended five times in this period and is currently only one month into his latest attempt to complete the service and is seeking someone to cover for him for a while. While he is an excellent guardian when he is around, he just hates work.

Oleander
Young Copper Dragon
Medium Dragon (Earth)
Hit Dice: 11d12+33 (104)
Initiative: +6
Speed: 40 ft., fly 150 ft. (average)
Armor Class: 22 (+2 Dex, +10 Natural), Touch 12, Flat-footed 20
Base Attack/Grapple: +11/+13
Attack: Bite +13 melee (2d6+2)
Full Attack: Bite +13 melee (2d6+2), 2 claws +8 melee (1d6+1), 2 wings +8 melee (1d4+1)
Space/Reach: 5 ft. / 5ft.
Special Attacks: Breath weapons, spells
Special Qualities: Blindsense 60 ft., dragon immunities, immunity to acid, keen senses, spider climb
Saves: Fort +10, Ref +9, Will +10
Abilities: Str 15, Dex 14, Con 17, Int 12, Wis 17, Cha 18
Skills: Bluff +18, Concentration +9, Diplomacy +11, Hide +19, Jump +7, Knowledge (History) +8, Knowledge (Local) +15, Knowledge (Religion) +8, Listen +10, Sense Motive +11, Spot +10, Swim (cc) +3
Feats: Hover, Improved Initiative, Improved Natural Weapon (Bite), Skill Focus (Hide)
Alignment: Chaotic Good
CR: 8 (Normally 7, +1 for elite array stats)
EL: 15

Languages: Common, Draconic, Gnomish

Spells: As a 1st-level sorcerer (5/4; save DC 14 + spell level).
Sorcerer Spells Known: 0th—detect magic, ghost sound, message, prestidigitation; 1st—silent image, ventriloquism.

Breath Weapon (Su): 60-ft. line, 6d4 acid damage, Reflex DC 18 half, or 30-ft. cone, slow (as the spell, Player's Handbook 280) 1d6+3 rounds, Fortitude DC 18 negates.

Blindsense (Ex): Dragons can pinpoint creatures within a distance of 60 ft. Opponents the dragon can’t actually see still have total concealment against the dragon.

Keen Senses (Ex): A dragon sees four times as well as a human in shadowy illumination and twice as well in normal light. It also has darkvision out to 120 feet.

Immunities (Ex): All dragons are immune to sleep and paralysis. In addition, copper dragons are immune to damage from acid.

Spider Climb (Ex): A copper dragon can climb on stone surfaces as if using the spider climb spell (see page 283 in the Player’s Handbook).

Personality and History:
Oleander is a handsome copper dragon, as all are. However, he particularly prides himself on his cuteness. His scales glean their copper tone as he washes them regularly in the river below. He is a beautiful specimen of his race, with his only flaw being a slightly bulging stomach, which he considers a sign of his hunting prowess. His plates are smoothly arranged and he spends time practicing flexing them, which, sadly, most mammals tend to not appreciate. His eyes are a dark, inquisitive green, resting under diamond-shaped plates. His scales shine in the sun and he often bathes under the noonday rays, catching as many as possible as he pampers his scales, hoping that one day they will be scales of justice. His wings have the distinctive manta pattern of the copper dragons and his underbelly is a light orange-yellow. He deems himself a sight to behold and as far as young dragons go, few have the grooming habits to compete.

All dragons are supposed to be born with an instinct to hoard treasure. Oleander, for whatever reason, has a very weak version of this instinct. He likes treasure, but thrill of having it rarely outweighs the effort that goes into finding it. Mainly, he collects treasure because all the other dragons do and he’s afraid of what they’ll think if he doesn’t have any.

For this very reason, young Oleander (whose parents had been killed by an ancient pair of red dragons) wants to become a paladin. He has little desire for the material wealth and wants to defend righteous people like him. He considers this his Clawful-Good duty to the world. He has absolutely no plan on avenging his parents’ death. Those red dragons were really big and dangerous. Oleander wants to defend people from lone orcs or sick trolls. That’s more his style.

The bridge duty has been harrowing for his chaotic style. He simply cannot stick to it, as hard as he tries. However, the position has given him a lot of advantages. The bridge serves as his home. Oleander enjoys sleeping under the fifth arch from the civilized bank, using his spider climb power to hang upside-down under it all night, like a bat. This position is also useful to listen as people pass overhead. Sometimes people say extremely funny or incriminating things when they think they are alone.

Oleander absolutely loves talking at people. Sometimes he even listens to them, getting current events. He likes to keep close track on local adventurers, slamming parties and criminal reports so he can catch thugs trying to step up on his turf. Everybody likes Oleander, as he protects them on their journey and is filled with useful rumors, but no one likes Oleander as he is. The half mile walk over the bridge is a test of psychological endurance, as Oleander attempts to baffle them with his wit and humor. He’s a prankster and a comedian at heart and is always looking for someone to test out his material on, whether they like it or not. Oleander is always willing to offer the bridge as a place to rest at night to weary travelers before they head off on their journey, with the only price being a possible prank and his often dated humor.

He enjoys playing pranks on people he’s heard of and knows are good hearted. Oleander believes he is an excellent judge of character, so even if someone is new to the bridge, he feels he can discern their sense of humor and play to it.

Oleander has worked on a number of pranks, some of which also serve as forms of protection for the bridge. He uses ventriloquism while hanging under the bridge to fool people as to his location so he can sneak up and surprise them. If he doesn’t trust the person, he will use the spell to communicate while staying hidden and trying to pry information out of them before he decides whether to scare off or engage the potential foe. Often, he also uses silent image to back up the effect and make himself appear as a pseudodragon or a mysterious talking chicken, with brown speckles on his white feathers. Also, he will use silent image to make a cow appear crossing the travelers’ paths, than walk off the bridge and plummet into the water. He provides the splash sound effect himself, than cracks up laughing from his hidden post.

People who spend the night on or around the bridge often wake up running to Oleander when they realize they’ve been robbed, only to find Oleander cracking up, pointing at a tree where all there possessions are hanging. Sometimes Oleander hires passers by to play parts in his pranks. A young maiden may be used to run toward a male merchant who is traveling with his wife with open arms, yelling, “Lover!” This is sometimes changed to a young child and “Father!” He usually reserves this for people he knows, otherwise it could end poorly.

One of Oleander’s favorite pastimes is racing. He will accept any challenge for a race across the bridge. Usually, he can outrun most things, but takes racing extremely seriously and will fly or use illusions to cheat if needed. Anyone who beats him earns his animosity forever, but anyone he beats earns more of his trust.

Not one for gifts, Oleander does appreciate being given a clawful of copper coins. He does not wait to enjoy this type of gift and he eats them in front of the person who gives them to him so they know he appreciates it. This often startles the person, to which Oleander claims that the copper gives his scales that extra glossy shine. Other gifts he accepts and stores in his stash.

Oleander absolutely loves eating, which accounts for his robust build. He enjoys anything poisonous, especially the flowers for which he named himself. Giant spiders are also a favorite. However, he will eat just about anything, including rocks. He bit the bridge once and if the characters look under the seventh arch from the civilized side, they will see the bite mark.

Oleander keeps a basically random and sporadic schedule. No one knows what he will be doing or when he will be doing it. He seems to come and go on a whim. This makes planning around him impossible. He is also an expert at hiding, so even if it doesn’t seem like he is there, he could be lurking close by, ready to swoop in and ask “If you don’t mind me asking, what are you doing on my bridge?”

If the adventurers have a chance passing over the bridge, roll a d20 and consult the Random Oleander Activity Diagram (ROAD) to decide what he is doing:

1-4: Oleander isn’t around, off slacking or on the prowl.
5-10: Oleander is hiding under the bridge, listening to the party as they pass and preparing to launch a prank.
11: Oleander is pretending to give a music lesson, using ghost sound as his untalented student.
12: Oleander doing his stretches, racing up and down the length of the bridge. Upon seeing the characters, he launches into flight and yells down a series of challenges to races.
13-14: Oleander is lunching on a meal of six tree branches and an axe. He tries to mooch some good food off of the party.
15: Oleander is perched on the ledge in the exact center point of the bridge. He informs the party that using his super-voodoo powers he has turned the party around, so in order to reach the other side, they must go back the way they came. They can also try crossing the bridge backwards to counteract the effect. However, it is of course a lie and a DC 5 Spot check will reveal the obvious natural features of the correct side. If questioned and given evidence to the contrary, he claims that it’s an illusion.
16: Oleander is pretending to sleep at his post. As the party goes by, he makes a trip attempt with his tail on the scrawniest looking member, afterwards slipping his tail back extremely quickly. If questioned, he pretends to wake up and stretch out. If pressed, he claims tail wagging is a draconic reflex and that they should be more careful.
17: Oleander sits at his post, looking extremely noble and serious. He refuses to talk. After the party passes, he uses ghost sounds to make it appear that the last person to go by passed gas. If anyone looks back, he remains stoic. However, he will repeat the effect a couple more times as long as the party is in range.
18: Oleander is talking to a traveling merchant who is in his carriage making the crossing back to the civilized side. Oleander starts whispering as the party gets closer and the two start laughing at them.
19: Oleander is practicing a martial arts routine a local monk taught him to teach him discipline. However, he is using ghost sound to make funny sound effects each time he claws. He combines this with prestidigitation to add sparkles to his attacks. If anyone asks, he claims it is the earthly manifestation of his soul’s hyperenergy. He then starts conversation about the new look in female fashions this season, commenting on the outfits of any female PC.
20: Oleander is fending off a monster of your choice or a party of evil adventurers up to no good. He calls the party for back-up while he attempts his patented triple corkscrew dragular dive bomb. 4 trolls offer a good challenge, but should vary according to your needs and party level.

Oleander hates combat, preferring to get others to back down. Trolls and other foes sometimes refuse and Oleander uses the bridge to his greatest advantage. He will hide under it, using spider climb to move between arches and distract the enemy with illusions of himself, either visual or auditory. Against opponents who cannot fly, he flies out of reach and uses his acid breath, which trolls in particular find displeasing. His slow breath helps stop those trying to run past. Few can out-speed a flying dragon anyway, but slow breath is useful for groups. Oleander’s teeth are particularly vicious and with Hover he can outmaneuver flying foes, although this is rarely an issue as a flying opponent who wanted to cross the river could simply cross somewhere else.

Oleander’s Modest Treasure Collection aka "His Stash" (Smaller than usual for a dragon of his CR because he isn’t caught up in materialism, but still larger than a normal creature of his CR because he’s still a dragon):

230 gold pieces, 44 platinum pieces, 781 silver pieces, gold necklace with inset emerald (250 gp), silver earrings (5 gp), platinum ring (100 gp), set of fine cutlery (55 gp), set of 2 copper dragon figurines (male/female) (50 gp), box full of assorted costume jewelry (200 gp), pair of fancy black shoes, size 10 (5 gp), red bowtie with black polka dots (2 sp), merchant’s business ledger (5 gp), various maps (5 gp), scroll of color spray (25 gp), masterwork Small longsword (315 gp), masterwork fiddle (100 gp), 7 longswords, 5 Small, 2 Medium (105 gp), really cool looking rocks (1 cp), 4 diamonds (100 gp each), 3 black onyxes (25 gp each), wand of prestidigitation (375 gp), +1 sickle (2305 gp), lady’s bonnet (complete with flower) (1 sp), blanket made from winter wolf pelt (100 gp), exquisite hatbox labeled “Oleander’s Scarf” (20 gp), Oleander’s lucky blue scarf, 10 ft. long, (3 sp), simple box marked “Midnight Snack” (1 cp), copper candlestick (2 gp), 2 Medium heavy steel shields (40 gp), semi-accurate globe (not to scale) carved from super-rare wood, collector’s item (500 gp)

The treasure hole was made by Oleander himself. He used his acid breath to soften the rock and dug it out with his claws. It is crudely made, but impossible to see by anyone on the bridge or from the shore. However, someone traveling in the water may be able to find it. If someone is under the fourth arch from civilized side, a DC 15 Spot check reveals its location.

Plot Hooks: Yo, what the hook gonna be?
0) It’s a bridge. The characters may simply need to cross the river and the bridge is probably the best and driest way. From this, a variety of encounters can occur. Merchants use it, thieves use it, Oleander is there, it can serve as a safe haven, it can serve as a meeting place, etc. The possibilities are numerous. However, some plot hook ideas are included to get you thinking,

1) The church approaches the adventurers to help them defend the bridge. Apparently, the guardian has gone missing again and there are rumors of a smuggling operation being planned. This is fine for any level, as the encounters defending the bridge can be customized to the party level. One premade encounter for level 12 characters is included. Alternately, the party can be crossing the bridge and Oleander approaches the party to do him a solid and guard it, claiming he’ll be back “really super soon.”

2) The party must smuggle something over the bridge past its sometimes-diligent guardian. The object they need to smuggle is too big to swim or float across the river with and the party should be low in level (1-3) so that fighting Oleander is a losing proposition and flight is out of the question as well. Diplomacy, subterfuge and blatant sneaking will be what its all about.

3) A merchant has lost his business ledger and maps and needs them badly. He commissions the party to return them. The last known location of them was on Copper Crossing, where he spent the night. Both are in Oleander’s stash and the party needs to find a way to get the dragon to hand them over or find a way to steal them. This is ideal for a party of level 4-6.

4) The party needs an escort or a guide through the swampland to the hidden church. Oleander is the only one who has any idea where it is, but the party needs to convince the lazy creature to serve as a guide. They will need his help, too, because of the trolls in the area. His acid breath is ideal for handling them. They may have to challenge him to a race, listen to his jokes, have a contest of wit or get him some exotic food so he will come. Ideal for any party that lacks the power to magically divine a location or to fight a large number of trolls alone.

5) The party arrives at the bridge during their travels and Oleander is under attack by a superior force. The party can help him defend the bridge and vanquish his foes. This can be tailored to the party’s level.

Finally, Copper Crossing and its guardian can simply serve as a nice place to visit and get information. Oleander talks to everyone and knows a lot about the area. Talking to him can be irritating and difficult, but he can serve as a useful font of information for the party. He is very nice and unless the party offends him, he will be friendly to them.