Tillya - Savant (Barbara Darlage)
Gronark - Half-Orc Fighter (Chris Bradley)
Jobear - Wizard (Allen Myers)
Korizani - Monk (Roxie Myers)
The Time: Summer, 4
Drauj
The Place: Alisander – A
very large city, the largest in all of Inzeladun, Alisander has a population of
120,000 persons. Although Lamapacher does not have a capital, this city is
the definite hub of Lamapacher's commerce and power. Situated on the
shores of the Alisander River, this town has a history that dates back to the
Fourth Age. Founded by King Alisander, a hero of the Fourth Age, it was
the capital of the Kingdom of Alisander. Alisander existed as a
separate nation until it was conquered by Lord Komaaks and absorbed into his
fledging nation Lamapacher. The city is currently ruled by Baron Nadam,
Champion of Vale. The city is well known for its cheese. It also
exports manufactured goods, weapons, armor, ancient artifacts looted from the
massive dungeons and tunnels that crisscross beneath the city to untold depths.
The city-state extends out 50 miles from the city center in all directions,
making Alisander one of the largest states in Lamapacher. Like much of
Lamapacher, slavery is illegal, and many escaped slaves from Drychtnoth and
Ingara make their way here.
Alisander enjoys more than its share of
intrigue, skullduggery, espionage, backstabbing, and trade rivalries taken to
dangerous extremes. The reception was no different when Kathkallan, a
prominent merchant and alderman of the city of Ta'akrinat, came to Alisander
recently on a trade mission in hopes of closing two deals that could improve his
city's standing as a trade power.
The afternoon of 4 Drauj,
in the summer of the 6th year of the 8th Age, found Tillya walking
along a sloping, curved street in Alisander's trade district devoted to selling
spices, perfumes, incense, and other aromatic goods. Floral, spicy, and
sweet scents rolled down the steep grade. Tillya savored the scents,
smelling cinnamon, nutmeg, pepper, vanilla, and sugar. She also smelled
soaps and perfumes, as well as the dueling aromas of baked breads and fine
cuisine emerging from bakeries and a tavern. Tillya was a savant, a psion,
and she kept her powers hidden from others, afraid of the fear of the people.
No horses or livestock were allowed
in this part of Alisander. Their odors would ruin the street's
allure. To discourage wagons, a merchant house had built two sets of
magnificent marble steps where a pair of roads used to lead from the central
trade district. The steps resembled small terraces. Near a bakery
fronting one of the crowded steps, a man yelled, metal flashed, and the clash of
blades rang out.
Suddenly the steps were far less
crowded. As the crowd thinned, Tillya saw a red clothed man wielding a
scimitar and holding at bay three ruffians, one of whom was now sucking on his
sliced finger while gripping a knife in his off-hand. Cowering behind the
man in red, a merchant was struggling to draw an ornamental dagger out of its
sheath.
Both defenders had their backs to the
bakery and an alley that bordered it. They didn't see three more men with
daggers slip from the shadows of the alley. However, a voice rose up from
the thinning crowd.
"Look out behind you!"
warned the deep voice. A warrior in an old chain shirt stood against the
tide of rushing bystanders, his guisarme was held in his outstretched hand
pointing toward the alley, a heavy falchion was readied in his other
hand. The warrior looked like a bronze statue, with powerful limbs
that easily held the guisarme aloft. The warrior had tusks that rose over
his thin upper lips, obvious evidence of his his orcish heritage. However, the
warning was sufficient; the man in red and the merchant turned and saw the
approaching assassins.
A crossbow bolt flew out of the
running crowds, a bolt that went over the heads of the ruffians, striking an
overhanging sign across the street from the bakery. The crowd immediately
thinned around a smallish man near an apple cart. The man ran forward,
reloading his crossbow. Tillya decided that she would also side with the
merchant and the man in red. Taking a risk that she might be hung as a
witch, she manifested her electrical power, using her body's psionically fueled
bioelectric currents to produce an arc of blue-white electricity that struck one
of the bully's coming out of the alley. The electricity arced off that foe
to strike the ruffian's friend next to him.
A blur ran out from the running
crowds; a female monk was running quickly from the crowds. Fast she ran,
and she struck one of the ruffians in the back of the neck, and she snapped that
neck like a twig.
The red swordsman swung his scimitar
around expertly, and he disemboweled another of the attacking thugs.
Electricity continued to arc around two of the ruffians, and finally they
dropped to the ground, dead. The half-orc had entered the melee and
battled one of the ruffians toward the red swordsman, but the crossbowman aimed
again and shot the ruffian a deadly blow through the center of his skull.
The merchant motioned his rescuers
around, and introduced himself as Kathkallan. "This man with me is
Bezzem, my loyal bodyguard. What would your names be?"
"I am Tillya," said the
psion savant.
"I am Gronark," said the
half-orc, sheathing his falchion. The half-orc looked vicious. A
guisarme he held in one hand, and a heavy falchion hung beneath the heavy belt
around his waist. Three jagged javelins hung from a hanger on his back,
and he wore an old, ragged shirt of chainmail.
"I am Jobear," said the man
with the crossbow. His clothes were worn, dirty, old and frayed, but his
face was youthful and his eyes told tales of knowledge and learning.
"I am Korizani," said the
last. She was apparently some type of monk, for she had the look of the
wandering ascetics of Lamapacher taught to fight with their mind and their
bodies.
Kathkallan nodded to each and said,
"Well met then. I would extend an offer of employment to each of
you. I will give you each 200 gold if you'll help guard me and my cargo at
night, and a thousand in gold if you will help me solve a small mystery."
"What sort of mystery?"
asked Tillya.
"I have identified a rare
substance coveted by Lamapacher's wealthiest residents and came up with a way to
provide it. Royal jelly, a byproduct of giant bee colonies that's reputed
to heal, cure disease, and alleviate the effects of aging. My royal
jellies face little competition, for in the past the substance was brought to
market by mercenaries and wanderers, who often destroyed the hives in the
process. And so, Jasaar Arrasti, the head of a powerful Lamapachan
merchant house, specializing in perfumes and cosmetics, agreed in advance to by
my first shipment of royal jelly for 4,000 gold coins per half-pound jar.
I also acquired an option to buy 200 pounds of vanilla beans for 20,000 gold
from Greater Galleon, an Alisandarim establishment. I hoped to buy the
vanilla with proceeds from the jelly, then carry the spice back to Ta'akrinat
for sale. A year after the signing of these contracts, my bee farms
produced their first crop: nine jars of royal jelly. All nine jars have
survived the caravan trip from Ta'akrinat to Alisander, however, everything has
fallen part since I have reached Alisander.
"I sent my journeyman, Galliad,
to schedule meeting with both Arrasti and Greater Galleon while I arranged for
the sale of a wagonload of wool. I also asked Galliad to arrange for
security on the trip back, either by signing on with a caravan or hiring
guards. Galliad never returned. My trade mission is now in
jeopardy. To prove he represented me, Galliad was carrying my contracts
when he disappeared. The documents are irreplaceable. I cannot
complete my trade mission without them: The other merchants will pretend
they don't remember ever making the deals unless confronted with their
signatures."
"Why?" asked Jobear.
"Because, thanks to recent
events in Lamapacher, the terms of those contracts are no longer as favorable to
the merchants of Alisander as they once were. Agreements in Alisander are
hard to falsify. They're written and notarized three times each on long,
single sheets of vellum, then cut jaggedly with a razor into thirds. One
third goes with the seller, another third with the buyer, and the middle third
goes to a city notary. To exercise a contract, one party must summon a
notary. Notaries authenticate contracts by matching their edges, since the
zigzags for each document for each document are unique. Anyway, we were
attempting to retrace Galliad's steps. Apparently we walked into an
ambush. If you help us, I will pay you each 1,000 gold pieces for finding
my contracts. Sometimes paper is more valuable than gold."
So much gold was unheard of for the
four strangers standing there. They immediately agreed. Kathkallan
said he had some independent inquiries to make, and he would meet them at the
Silent Siren when they had any news. He paid each of them their 200 gold,
and gave them a description of Galliad.
The four decided they would work
together, and that they would also try to retrace Galliad's path. They
decided to seek out the two merchants he was going to make appointments with
first. They went first to Jazasari Arrasti's pavilion, a burgundy silk in
front of his family's estate. Luxurious rugs covered the floor of
Arrasti's sitting room just inside the tent, but they're barely visible under
the hundreds of silk pillows spread around the tent, some of which were large
enough to support a grown man. A small redwood throne adorned with a plump
red cushion and silver threaded pillows overlooked the sea of silk. From a
table at the entrance to the pavilion, a scribe handled Arresti's
business. He stood when the four entered and introduced himself, saying,
"I am Omannar, I handle Arresti's routine transactions, keep records, and
make appointments. May I help you?" He had the look of a
Saudian about him, and his accent was definitely foreign.
"We are looking for
someone," said Gronark. The Saudian said, "I hope it is not
I."
"No," said Tillya. "We
seek a man named Galliad. He has red hair."
"I remember him. He came
in to schedule an appointment. I last remember the journeyman talking just
out of sight around the corner of the tent, but within earshot, to a female
porter about where to find a caravan broker. I believe she recommended a
business called 'the Platinum something-or-other'. Has he gone
missing?"
"Yes, he has," said Jobear.
"We've been charged with finding him."
"I hope I have been of service
then."
"You have." The four
left the pavilion and looked around. A good three out of ten porters
walking about were female. Which one would Galliad have spoken with?
They stopped one of the female porters, a strong woman with a gay demeanor who
was carrying a load of fagots on her back. They asked her where someone
might go to arrange for a caravan.
"Oh, you should go to the
Atrium," said the porter. "But be careful, there are queer folk
that hang around that place."
"Thank you," said
Korizani. The Atruim was in the financial square of Alisander, through
which most trade-related paperwork flowed. The office of the notary
maintained a small office there. The foursome debated about heading
directly to the Atrium, or if they should stop at the Greater Galleon
first. They decided on the Greater Galleon.
Inside the pavilion, Jazasari Arrasti
walked over the pillows to his scribe.
"Did I hear right?
Kathkallan's journeyman has gone missing?"
"Apparently," said Omannar.
"Interesting," said Arrasti,
returning to the back of the pavilion. An unfortunate occurrence for
Kathkallan, but fortunate for him. Arrasti was in a financial bind.
He had illicitly used his estate as collateral on two loans, each for a separate
overseas venture. He was gambling that sales from the two shipments would
more than cover the debts, but both vessels were lost to pirates, and monthly
loan payments have nearly wiped out his reserves. He was worried that one
of his creditors would soon try to claim his estate and reveal his deception
(ruining both his credit and his reputation in the process), so he was desperate
to rebuild his fortune quickly. If he was forced to pay the 4,000 gold
pieces per half-pound jar of royal jelly, then he might not do so well, although
he could certainly double his money. If the contracts went missing, he
could, perhaps, buy the royal jelly for a mere 1,000 gold pieces per jar, which
would gain back his money seven-fold instead of two-fold.
Vemmemalius Gheldieg, an Ingaran
moneychanger walked quickly to his shop. Although known as a prominent
businessman, he had a secret side. He was a Silhouette, a high ranking
member of the Shadow Shoal, Iss'ul's network of spies, thieves, and
assassins. He had received orders to aid anyone looking for a man named
Galliad. He passed by his booth in the Atrium and spoke quietly to
Roseshade, giving her additional orders.
Gheldieg was not a few minutes too
soon, for as soon as he left Roseshade's stall, a blonde man with a scar on his
lip approached. Roseshade was a prominent "shuffler", a
dealer in illicit paperwork. The blonde man negotiated for a while with
Roseshade before finally leaving.
Roseshade caught Gheldieg's eye and
made a discreet movement, a sign meaning, "the appointment is made."
Tillya, Gronark, Jobear, and Korizani
walked up the hill
toward the Greater Galleon's shop. A crowd was gathered around the store's
awning as someone auctioned off vanilla beans. As they closed on the
store, they noticed the crowd was composed almost entirely of the upper class
citizens of Alisander. Each of them clamored for a merchant's
attention. Each merchant held but a single bean.
They entered the store, passing a
large, unused kettle that hung over a small brazier, and sought out the head
merchant, a Saudian named Mossan Zahad. Mossan said that Galliad had
scheduled an appointment there, and then left, heading downhill. His smug
smile and abrupt manner gave the group the impression that he knew more than he
let one. They could tell he was quietly delighted that the contracts were
missing. The group asked about the empty kettle outside. The head
merchant told them that several shipments of vanilla were lost at sea. As
a result, speculation on the remaining vanilla has more than doubled street
prices for the sweetener since Kathkallan had negotiated his option. The
option in those contracts gives Kathkallan a substantial discount on
Lamapacher's hottest commodity because it bound Greater Galleon to an earlier,
lower price. He then told them that he is busy, and the four left the
Greater Galleon.
Although they had the feeling Mossan
knew more than he let on, and might actually be involved somehow, they went on
to the Atrium. Most caravan coordination was done there, and they had, by
now, heard of the Platinum Quill. They passed the Silent Siren and saw
their employer going inside. They moved on into the Atrium. Soon
enough, they had found the Platinum Quill, a company specialized in coordinating
and forming caravans, hiring security for traveling merchants, and providing
insurance. It was precisely the sort of place Galliad would have gone.
They met the proprietor of the
Platinum Quill, a gentleman named Catellion, who denied ever seeing the
journeyman, noting that the previous day was "actually sort of
slow." Gronark had the sense that Catellion was lying. They
called Catellion's bluff and called him a liar. Catellion told them to go
away, and he disappeared into his shop, calling for someone called
Anteashara. They ran out the back of the store into an alley. The
four gave chase to Catellion and a woman they assumed was Anteashara.
Catellion ran into another alley and
motioned to a trio of thugs that were lounging nearby. The thugs stepped
into the path of the onrushing foursome, drawing out clubs and daggers.
They were ready to fight to the death. Catellion had hired them yesterday,
promising them that they would be resurrected if they died in service to
him. It was a lie, but they believed Catellion was a benefactor of the
temple of Athena, and was known to Alexander,
the Gauntlet of Athena, and who had not heard the stories of the Resurrection
of Friends that took place in public a mere eight days ago?
Believing their
employer was a friend of Alexander, they engaged the half-orc and the three
humans. Gronark slew one with a blow from his guisarme, and Korizani slew
the second one with a powerful boot to the head. Tillya dazed the
third, hoping no one noticed the nimbus of light that shot out from around her,
and Jobear shot the thug with the crossbow. Jobear stopped to loot the
bodies of the thugs as the other three ran on after Catellion and Anteashara.
Catellion
drank a potion of invisibility and vanished. Tillya summoned up her
electrical power, using her body's psionically fueled bioelectric currents to
produce an arc of blue-white electricity that struck Anteashara, as the rogue
waited for Korizani to charge her. Striking with the advantage of invisibility,
Catellion took down the monk with a sneak attack. Anteashara then charged
the half-orc and took the warrior down. The electricity that swam around
Anteashara arced off of her and struck Catellion as she passed her
employer. Both Anteashara and Catellion turned to attack Tillya, who
defended herself as well as she could, being unarmed. She kept
concentrating on the electricity, and soon Anteashara fell to the ground,
stunned by the magic, her body jerking as the electricity continued to arc
between her and Catellion. Catellion prepared a killing blow against
Tillya, and luckily for her, Jobear had finished looting the thugs and shot
Catellion with a magic missile, trusting that few, if anyone, would be watching
down the alley to witness his illegal use of magic. Catellion fell; Tillya
and Jobear tied him and Anteashara up with rope from Gronark's pack.
Tillya and Jobear also administered first aid to Korizani and Gronark, and
brought them back to consciousness.
They dragged
Catellion and Anteashara back to The Platinum Quill. The owner of the next
stall, Vemmemalius Gheldieg, saw them. They searched the Quill, and found a
chest with a pair of black masks, cloth pullovers with holes cut out for the
eyes, and a small amount of gold. While they waited for Catellion and
Anteashara to awaken, Tillya and Korizani went outside and met Vemmemalius
Gheldieg, an Ingaran moneychanger. He assured Tillya and Korizani
that Catellion did meet Galliad, despite his assertions to the contrary.
They filled out a fair amount of paperwork, and seemed to strike some sort of
deal. At the end of their dealing, the journeyman asked a question
Gheldieg couldn't hear and Catellion pointed toward the Atrium's west
exit. Galliad walked that way and entered the Silent Siren tavern.
After being told of their mission, Gheldieg added that stolen documents in
Alisander are often sold to "shufflers", dealers in illicit
paperwork. He informs Tillya and Korizani that the most prominent shuffler
around here is a woman named Roseshade, a few tables away.
They went and
found Roseshade, a shabby woman with a lot of paperwork in her booth.
Roseshade readily confirmed that a blonde northerner tried to sell her a vanilla
option and royal jelly contract. Because she wanted to find a buyer before
committing to the sale, she told him to come back at noon on 7 Drauj, three days
hence. Tillya thanked Roseshade and returned to the Platinum Quill, where
Catellion and Anteashara had awakened.
Tillya was a
little annoyed that Jobear and Gronark hadn't questioned the pair at all, but
got over and started asking her own questions. Using a hypnotism
spell from Jobear, they learned that Galliad was dead, lured into a trap by
agents of Ta'akrinat's rival, Karn. Ta'akrinat has long played second
fiddle to Karn when it comes to trade, and Karn often took drastic steps to
ensure things remain that way. Wary of potential rivals, Karn jealously
guards its dominance in Alisander's trade through liberal use of its powerful
thieves' guild, the Night Masks. Anteashara and Catellion were members of
this organization.
As Galliad
wandered through the market scheduling appointments, he encountered Anteashara,
who offered her services (as a porter). Eager to complete his assignments,
Galliad asked where he could find a caravan headed for Ta'akrinat. She
directed him to the Platinum Quill. Once Galliad got there, Catellion
agreed to everything Galliad wanted and offered extremely generous rates for his
services. Instead of becoming suspicious of his good fortune, Galliad was
delighted and decided to spend some of the money he saved at a nearby tavern,
the Silent Siren (which Catellion helpfully recommended). After a couple
hours at the bar, Galliad met a local courtesan named Zinni. This meeting
was no accident. The Night Masks had hired her to lure Galliad to a garden
on the north side of the city, a visit that would prove fatal for both Galliad
and Zinni. Although they could get no information of Catellion's boss,
they did learn that only five members of the Night Masks were in town.
Although the
half-orc, Gronark, wanted to kill both Anteashara and Catellion, cooler heads
prevailed. They decided to turn the pair of Night Masks over to the law in
Alisander. Tillya went out and found a guard, a female warrior with a
halberd.
"Do you
have a superior officer?" asked Tillya.
"Yes," answered the guard.
"Go get
her," said Tillya. "We have an emergency."
"What is
your emergency?" asked the guard.
"I don't
think it is something only one of you can handle," said Tillya.
"And how
am I supposed to know that you truly have an emergency? You could just be
running up to me, asking me to run off and abandon my post, just so you can
commit some sort of larcenous act and get out of here, just so I can show up a
few minutes later with my superior and look like an idiot."
"I
hadn't thought of that," murmured Tillya, a bit perplexed that these female
Alisandaran guards weren't stupid enough to just accept whatever strangers ran
up and told them. "I have caught two members of the Night
Masks!" said Tillya. "They need to be arrested!"
"Do you
have proof of their guilt? They could just be a couple of people you are
annoyed at and want out of your way for a while so you can rob their homes or
businesses. You'd have plenty of time while we interrogated them, I am
sure."
"I
hadn't thought of that either," said Tillya. Her mind raced.
She couldn't tell them that the pair confessed under the influence of a hypnotism
spell. That would just get Jobear hung as a wizard. Then something
clicked in her mind. "We found their symbolic masks! Maybe you
can come alone and get them, then."
"Of
course, that would be a splendid way to get me permanently out of the way.
Do you know how many times queer folk run up to us and beg us to go somewhere
alone, and then plan on whacking us?"
"Well,
what can you do?" asked Tillya.
The guard
raised a whistle to her lips and blew. In a short amount of time,
seventeen female guards with halberds had assembled. Together, the entire
unit went cautiously to the Platinum Quill and arrested Anteashara and
Catellion. Jobear and Korizani went with the guards to testify.
Tillya and
Gronark had to continue on their own at this point. They needed to find out
where this garden was. They went to the Silent Siren. The Silent Siren was
a single-story tavern that buzzed with the shady dealings of conspirators and
merchants, who sipped at mediocre drinks while discussing business. Most
of the tables would only seat two guests. In several corners, pillars of
pink coral had been carved to resemble mermaids with outstretched arms, and
coral walls bearing carvings of undersea landscapes hid the tables from prying
eyes. The bar, which ran along the east side of the room, resembled the
prow of a large ship.
They met the
owner and barkeep, Able Yaline. Yaline confirmed that Galliad came into
the bar the night he disappeared. The journeyman enjoyed drinks with a
black-haired woman wearing an orchid brooch and eventually left with her.
Yaline didn't recognize her, but most women who wore an orchid brooch in
Alisander were courtesans who live on the Path of Silk Flowers, located on the
north side of Alisander.
"Tell me
about this Path of Silk Flowers," said Tillya. Yaline said, "As
you turn onto the Path, the first ting you will notice is the profusion of
bright color. Gardens fill the small yards in front of every small home
and building, producing a riot of blues, reds, violets, and every other shade
under the rainbow. However the gardens are all deliberately built to
better attract your eyes, and all the blooms are made of silk."
Tillya and
Gronark also spoke to Yaline's porter, Bernal. Bernal waxed eloquent about
the rival porter, Anteashara. He knew she had a secretive client in the
north side near the Path of Silk Flowers. He didn't know which house the
client lived in, but said Anteashara was always digging up information on
sculptures and other art objects for him. When asked about the north side,
he tells them that the north side is inhabited largely by people with plenty of
money but little status among the city elite. The area hugs the north wall
of the city, and has two key, well-known features, the Path of Silk Flowers and
the Avenue of Chimes.
"What is
this Avenue of Chimes?" asked Tillya.
"Few
pedestrians walk the Avenue of Chimes," said Bernal. "The shadowy,
broad alley is unnerving. Spaced along the street as regularly as
lanterns, and hanging at nearly every gate and doorway, are elaborate wind
chimes. The chimes don't ring for wind, however. Indeed, this is one
reason they are disturbing. Whenever pedestrians stroll up or down the
street, the chimes gently mark their passage, issuing a rippling chorus of sound
that keeps pace perfectly with the passing individual."
As they
finished their drinks, a fortune teller named Madame Lamia walked into the
Silent Siren. She stops and says to Tillya and Gronark, "Your fates are
unusually clear to me. Tell me, do you seek five thieves and a merchant
from afar?" They nodded yes, and agreed to pay her 5 gp for their
fortunes to be told. She told them, "You seek a wizard who
lives in the shadow of another wizard, and thieves who operate in the shadows of
other thieves. The spirit of a man recently slain says you will find the
wizard where sight meets sound and smell."
After the
fortune teller left, Tillya said, "How much do you want to bet that 'sight'
refers to the silk flowers, and 'sound' refers to the chimes?"
"And
perhaps 'smell' refers to the market where the horses are not allowed to
go?"
"Perhaps. But somehow I am thinking the place we want to go is at the
intersection of the Path of Silk Flowers and the Avenue of Chimes."
When the pair
turned onto the Path of Silk Flowers, they found that the barkeep had not
exaggerated one bit. It was a riot of colors. Apparently most of the
city's high-class courtesans lived in apartments on this brick walkway winding
along the north wall of the trades district. Each of the apartments had a
bed of artificial silk flowers, each one seemingly in competition with the
others for the most attractive faux garden.
They met and
talked with Nasha, one of the courtesans. She said that Zanni hadn't been
seed for a day or so, and that a foreigner named Gil had visited Zanni several
times since arriving in town a month ago, and that Gil had hired her to meet a
friend of his at a local tavern and lure him to a nearby private garden
"for a surprise." She hadn't been seen since. Although Gil
denied it, she believed Gil came from Karn, based on his accent and cologne.
Continuing
along the Path of Silk Flowers, they passed by a couple of manors with gardens,
each smelling beautiful, but they wanted one at the intersection ahead.
And they found a beautiful manor at the corner of the Path and the Avenue of
Chimes, and it seemed to have a garden, one they could smell from the
street. The owner of this home obviously had two loves: exotic plants and
human oriented art history. Both were evident in the design and decoration
of this manor. The oaken double front doors were carved to resemble
fractured sandstone tablets covered in pictoglyphs. Historic stained glass
windows depicting ancient orators were set into the second floor of a small
tower at the northeast corner of the mansion.
They knocked at the door, and it was opened by a short wiry man with carefully
braided black hair and a goatee, doused liberally with cologne. The
man said his name was Gil, and he had a strange accent. Tillya and the
half-orc posed as art lovers who wanted to see the manor garden. Gil said that
the master of the manor, a man named Mantatlus, was not home, but he would let
them see the garden. The foyer had vaulted archways opening to rooms to
the east and the west. To the east was a study with a square corner
turret. To the west they could see a door just opposite the archway.
Across from the front doors stood another set of doors. They were glass
doors that revealed a fountain and a lush garden on the other side. A red
rug in the middle of the room featured an image of a burning forest.
Gil took them
through the glass doors and into the garden. They passed the beautiful
fountain of an orator and into the aromatic garden. A trail of stepping
stones wandered among flowers and two-lemon trees, each entwined with pale green
vines bearing white flowers and golden berries. A breeze carried the scent
of the berries: sweet, like grapes, and tempting.
Gil made sure
to stay away from the lemon trees, where long vines grew around the trunks and
branches. As soon as Gronark passed within five feet of the first tree, he
left the path and started eating the berries of the vines, slowly poisoning his
body. Finally, Tillya pulled him away from the tree and they continued
their journey around the garden, looking for evidence of Galliad. When
they passed the second lemon tree, Gronark again started eating the
berries. This time, even Tillya succumbed to the lure of the Pillars of
Parthenope and their poisoned berries. Tillya, however, managed to
withdraw, dragging Gronark with her. They saw, back down the path, another
man walking toward them, also avoiding the lemon tree. This man was taller
and more muscular than Gil, and his hair had grown long, but still did not
completely cover the ritual scarring on his scalp, forehead, and cheeks.
When he got close enough, both he and Gil charged Tillya and Gronark, trying to
bull rush them into the lemon trees. The attack did not work, and both
Tillya and Gronark shoved the pair back. Gronark attacked with his guisarme and
Tillya manifested her psionic electricity. In a brief amount of time, both
Gil and his partner were dead.
Tillya and
Gronark ran back to the manor house, and they saw the front doors open and
close, but they saw no one enter or leave. They didn't know, but the
master of the house, Mantatlus had come home, entering the house invisibly from
his errand for the Night Masks.
Mantatlus was
alarmed. Catellion and Anteashara were arrested. His thugs had
failed to get the jars of royal jelly from Kathkallan. He ran up the steps
to the turret to get the two contracts. Then Tillya and Gronark smashed
through the stained glass doors out to the garden. Mantatlus hid behind a
bronze plated statue of an efreet that stood on the turret shelf.
Tillya and
Gronark walked into the study. They saw a comfortable couch, a wooden desk
covered with papers, and a bookshelf against the west wall. In the
northeast corner of the room, behind the couch, a staircase lead up to a high
shelf in the manor's turret, displayed in which were several curiosities.
They searched the desk but did not find the contracts. The books on the
bookshelf held tomes on ancient history and herbalism. They went up
the stairs to look at the curiosities. The first was a bronze plated
statuette of an efreet. According to the label on the pedestal, it was
about five hundred years old and weighed 250 pounds, and would be worth about
300 gp. The next pedestal held a marble statuette of an ancient general,
which was about nine hundred years old. It weighed more than 200 pounds
and was worth about 150 gp. The next pedestal held a bronze dagger,
supposedly the weapon used in the assassination of the aforementioned
general. It was worth, supposedly, about 100 gp. The next pedestal
had an illuminated religious text, one thousand years old, that was worth
roughly 700 gp to a collector. It was the religious text of
Olanigan. Gronark found the royal jelly contract behind the pedestal's
label.
The next
pedestal had a seven hundred year old decorated bronze scroll case, worth about
75 gp. The next pedestal had a three thousand year old clay water jug from
Bakari, a long dead civilization. Partly chipped, it would be worth about
30 gp to a collector. A 150 year old painting of an Alisandarian street
scene was on the next pedestal. The vanilla option was found behind its
label by Gronark. The other two pedestals held an ornately gilded plate
that was commissioned 200 years ago by a notorious local prince, and a chalice
to match the plate, both worth about 300 gp each.
Tillya had an
idea on how to make the wizard visible. She used her psionic power to lift
up the 3,000 year old water jug and drop it. Mantatlus broke his
invisibility to catch it. He tried to escape, but Gronark tackled him and
he was captured.
They weren't
sure how to have him arrested for the murder of Galliad, since they had no real
proof. However, in the wizard's bedroom they found his spell book.
They turned the spellbook in to the guards and Mantatlus was hung for the crime
of wizardry the next morning.
They returned the
contracts to Kathkallan, who paid them each 1,000 gold in reward. The town
gave Tillya and Gronark the deed to Mantatlus' manor as a reward for catching a
wizard.
Jobear (Allen) and Korizani (Roxie) received 675 experience points for their participation in this adventure, as well as the 200 gp they were paid upfront by Kathkallan.
Tillya (Barb) and Gronark (Chris) received 2,675 experience points for completing the adventure, as well as 200 gp paid upfront, 1000 gp for returning the contracts, and the loot from the bad guys, including permission to own the wizard's mansion. They progress to Second Level.
Kathkallan, Human Rogue
2: CR 2, medium humanoid (5'6" tall); HD 2d6; hp 8; Initiative: +1
(Dex); Spd 30 ft.; AC 11 (+1 Dex); Melee Attack +2 (1d4+1/crit 19-20 dagger);
SA sneak attack +1d6; SQ evasion; AL NG; SV Fort +0, Ref +4, Will +1; Str 13,
Dex 13, Con 10, Int 16, Wis 13, Cha 15.
Skills: Appraise +8, Bluff +7, Decipher
Script +6, Diplomacy +7, Knowledge (nature) +5, Knowledge (local) +5, Gather
Information +7, Innuendo +6, Listen +8, Pick Pocket +5, Search +8, Sense Motive
+7, Spot +8
Feats: Alertness, Dodge
Equipment: Dagger, nine silver rings worth
20 gp each, purse, wagon, shoulder bag containing nine jars of royal jelly,
chest containing 200 pp, 43 gp.
Bezzem, Human
Fighter 2: CR 2, medium humanoid (5'9" tall); HD 2d10; hp 16;
Initiative: +3 (Dex); Spd 30 ft.; AC 15 (+2 leather armor, +3 Dex); Melee Attack
+4 (1d6+1 /crit 18-20 scimitar); AL LN; SV Fort +3, Ref +3, Will +0; Str 13, Dex
16, Con 11, Int 13, Wis 11, Cha 13.
Skills: Climb +3, Diplomacy +2, Gather
Information +2, Intimidate +3, Jump +3, Listen +4, Spot +4
Feats: Weapon Focus (scimitar), Dodge,
Expertise, Alertness
Equipment: Leather armor, scimitar,
jewelry worth 112 gp, backpack, pouch containing 32 gp
Vemmemalius Gheldieg, Male
Human Rogue 6: CR 6, medium humanoid (5'10" tall); HD 6d6; hp 23;
Initiative: +3 (Dex); Spd 30 ft.; AC 15 (+2 ring of protection, +3 Dex);
Melee Attack +5 (1d6+1 /crit 19-20 short sword); SA sneak attack +3d6; SQ
evasion, uncanny dodge; AL LE; SV Fort +2, Ref +8, Will +3; Str 12, Dex 17, Con
10, Int 15, Wis 12, Cha 16.
Skills: Balance +11, Climb +9, Disable
Device +10, Hide +12, Jump +8, Listen +9, Move Silently +12, Open Locks +12,
Pick Pockets +11, Search +11, Spot +11, Tumble +9
Feats: Alertness, Dodge, Expertise,
Mobility
Equipment: +2 ring of protection, short
sword, three throwing daggers, pouch containing 76 gp.
Notes: Gheldieg is a Silhouette, or high
ranking officer in the Shadow Shoal, and runs the guild's counterintelligence
operations in Alisander's trade district. He was given orders to help the
PC's in this matter.
Roseshade, Female
Human Commoner 1: CR 1/2, medium humanoid (5'9" tall); HD 1d4; hp 4;
Initiative: +0 (Dex); Spd 30 ft.; AC 10;
Melee Attack +0 (1d4 /crit 19-20 dagger); AL N; SV Fort +0, Ref +0, Will +2; Str
10, Dex 10, Con
10, Int 14, Wis 14, Cha 14.
Skills: Bluff +4, Forgery +4, Knowledge (Alisanderan
Documents) +4, Listen +6, Spot +6
Feats: Alertness, Skill Focus (Forgery)
Equipment: Purse with 53 gp
Notes: She is a Shadow Shoal
contact. Her orders are to aid the PC's investigation as much as possible
without arousing their suspicion. She was also ordered not to purchase the
contracts on the 7th of Drauj, merely to set up the appointment in order to help
the PC's.
Catellion, Male
Human Rogue 3: CR 3, medium humanoid (5'8" tall); HD 3d6; hp 12;
Initiative: +4 (Dex); Spd 30 ft.; AC 14 (+4 Dex);
Melee Attack +3 (1d6+1 /crit 19-20 short sword) or +6 ranged (1d4+1/crit 19-20
dagger); SA sneak attack +2d6; SQ
evasion, uncanny dodge; AL LE; SV Fort +1, Ref +7, Will +2; Str 12, Dex 18, Con
10, Int 14, Wis 12, Cha 14.
Skills: Appraise +5, Bluff +8, Climb +5,
Disguise +8, Gather Information +8, Hide +10, Jump +3, Listen +7, Move Silently
+10, Open Locks +8, Pick Pockets +8, Search +8, Spot +6, Use Rope +6
Feats: Dodge, Expertise,
Mobility
Equipment: potion of invisibility, short
sword, three daggers, pouch with 94 gp..
Notes: Catellion runs a business called
the Platinum Quill, coordinating caravans and guards for traveling
merchants. From his position, he collects information on trade deals and
dispenses it to Mantatlus. A swarthy, natural salesman, Catellion lives in
the back of his shop with Anteashara.
Anteashara, Female
Human Rogue 1: CR 1, medium humanoid (5'7" tall); HD 1d6+1; hp 7;
Initiative: +3 (Dex); Spd 30 ft.; AC 14 (+3 Dex, +1 padded armor);
Melee Attack +0 (1d4 /crit 19-20 dagger); SA sneak attack +1d6; SQ
evasion, uncanny dodge; AL NE; SV Fort +1, Ref +5, Will +1; Str 11, Dex 16, Con
13, Int 13, Wis 12, Cha 15.
Skills: Balance +5, Climb +3, Hide +7,
Jump +1, Listen +7, Move Silently +7, Open Locks +7, Pick Pockets +7, Profession
(porter) +3, Search +5, Spot +7, Tumble +7
Feats: Dodge, Alertness
Equipment: Padded Armor, dagger, pouch
with 31 gp.
Notes: Raven haired Anteashara uses her
porter job as a cover for her spying and to relay missives between Catellion and
Mantatlus. Because she's aggressive and accomplished, innkeepers vouch for
her.
Madame Lamia, Female
Human Rogue 4: CR 4, medium humanoid (5'3" tall); HD 4d6; hp 18;
Initiative: +7 (Dex, Improved Initiative); Spd 30 ft.; AC 13 (+3 Dex);
Melee Attack +3 (1d4 /crit 19-20 dagger); SA sneak attack +2d6; SQ
evasion, uncanny dodge; AL LE; SV Fort +1, Ref +7, Will +1; Str 11, Dex 17, Con
10, Int 14, Wis 11, Cha 14.
Skills: Bluff +8, Disguise +8, Gather
Information +8, Hide +7, Listen +6, Knowledge (Astrology) +5, Move Silently +7,
Search +7, Spellcraft +4, Spot +7, Use Magic Item +9
Feats: Dodge, Improved Initiative,
Mobility
Equipment: Scroll of sleep and hypnotic
pattern, dagger, pouch with 19 gp.
Notes: Madame Lamia is a member of the
Shadow Shoal and was sent to the PC's to give them a clue in the form of a
fortune.
Mantatlus, Male
Human Wizard 4: CR 4, medium humanoid (5'6" tall); HD 4d4+4; hp 17;
Initiative: +3 (Dex); Spd 30 ft.; AC 15 (+3 Dex, +2 bracers of armor);
Melee Attack +2 (1d4 /crit 19-20 dagger); or ranged attack +5 (1d8.19-20 crit,
light crossbow); SA spells; SQ spells; AL LE; SV Fort +2, Ref +4, Will +4; Str
10, Dex 16, Con 12, Int 18, Wis 10, Cha 12.
Skills: Bluff +3, Concentration +8,
Disguise +3, Gather Information +3, Knowledge (history) +9, Knowledge (nature)
+9, Listen +4, Profession (apothecary) +2, Profession (herbalist) +3, Spellcraft
+11, Spot +4
Feats: Alertness, Combat Casting, Dodge,
Scribe Scroll
Equipment: Potion of cure light wounds,
scroll of change self, invisibility, summon monster I, room key, +2
bracers of armor, dagger, chest key, chest containing 324 gp, 150 sp, spellbook.
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Trademarks and copyrights are cited on this page without permission. This usage is not meant in any way to challenge the rightful ownership of said trademarks/copyrights. D&D is a trademark of Wizards of the Coast, Inc.©. "Thirds of Purloined Vellum," an adventure written by Graham Robert Scott, appeared in Dungeon #88, Sept/Oct. 2001, was the basis for this adventure with my players. All copyrights are acknowledged and remain the property of the owners. "Inzeladun" and related characters © 1984, 2003 Vincent N. Darlage. All rights reserved by their respective owners. This page is for entertainment only.