Notes for a New Campaign City, Parsantium

[Gilladian]

Is it possible the Golden Scimitars are trying to put pressure on the Kanduq to pay protection money? They may also be trying to indulge in a bit of blackmail...

If they either had a hostage held to ransom, or they threatened to burn the place, hang around outside and drive off clientele, or otherwise make themselves troublesome, the PCs might be called upon to help out.

Especially if there was a bit of blackmail involved, they might have to make a raid on the Scimitars' hideout...

[RichGreen]

Monday night's shenanigans, in which I learned that vine horrors are tough opponents:


24th Maius (contd)

The PCs make their way outside where Sreedhar, Gong and Ranjeet are waiting. Sreedhar is keen to examine the carvings inside but is disappointed that the party smashed the four-armed warrior statue. After their patron has had a good look round and sketched some of the carvings, the PCs decide to head towards the cave in the side of the hill. Here, Brave Ella scouts around the entrance but the adventurers still aren’t sure whether to proceed so Sharden performs the Hand of Fate ritual. The ghostly blue hand is clear, pointing into the cave. Ella fashions a crude torch and the PCs head inside the dark tunnel.

Ella, Sharden, Krivinn and Margarita head down into the darkness, past crude ogre graffitti and the dead body of a peasant to reach a large cave with an underground stream flowing through the middle. Margarita lights a sunrod, revealing a human woman asleep on a pile of dirty rags and chained to the floor. Looming out of the darkness at the far side of the cavern comes an ogre and his two pet tigers. The two tigers swim across the water to attack Krivinn and Margarita, followed by the ogre – the PCs take down the first tiger but the second one continues to attack the warlord. The ogre smashes Ella for 25 hp damage but she manages to kill it in retaliation, then kicks its corpse in the head several times for good measure. Margarita uses swiftcurrent to cross the stream and charges the tiger, followed by Krivinn. The party finishes off the beast and rescues Mahadevi, the captured peasant woman. Krivinn breaks the news (not that gently!) that her husband Palash is dead and lays hands on her to heal her wounds. Meanwhile, Ella has finished kicking the ogre’s head and cuts it off. The PCs search the cave and find some treasure including a +2 master’s wand of thunderwave and skin the tigers, somewhat inexpertly.

Outside, the party buries Palash’s body and Krivinn says a few appropriate words. Afterwards, the PCs take another extended rest. They promise Mahadevi they will take her back to her village, Riverbend, about ten miles away through the forest.


25th Maius

The PCs head to the ratha at the top of the hill above the ogre’s cave. Unfortunately, the ceiling inside is unstable and Krivinn is only just able to get out before it collapses on his head!

Next the party heads for the last ratha – this one is overgrown with vines and dedicated to Brihaspati. A few skeletons lie among the twisted vines. Unsurprisingly, the skeletons come to life as the PCs enter. What they didn’t expect were the three vine horrors who appear from behind the garhabgriha to attack the PCs, blinding them with caustic clouds and grabbing them with vicious vines. After a very tough fight the party win the day, with Krivinn delivering the killing blow to the spellfiend.


We're almost done with the forest ruins adventure - just the monkey skill challenge to go (if they don't bottle it)

Cheers


Richard

[RichGreen]

Originally Posted by Gilladian

Is it possible the Golden Scimitars are trying to put pressure on the Kanduq to pay protection money? They may also be trying to indulge in a bit of blackmail...

If they either had a hostage held to ransom, or they threatened to burn the place, hang around outside and drive off clientele, or otherwise make themselves troublesome, the PCs might be called upon to help out.

Especially if there was a bit of blackmail involved, they might have to make a raid on the Scimitars' hideout...

Thanks for the suggestions!

Protection rackets and blackmail are definite possibilities. I like the blackmail angle - what kind of things could be at the centre of the blackmail threat?

Cheers


Richard

[Gilladian]

It could be that one of the Kanduq's shopkeepers has an illicit past, which if revealed would ruin his current life. Perhaps evidence of this has fallen into the hands of the bad guys, and now he's being blackmailed into performing actions that harm the Kanduq.

Or one of the shopkeepers is carrying out illegal activities in his shop (selling drugs? running a gambling hall? acting as a message drop for some illegal group?). Again, pick what works best for your storyline. That person is open to pressure from the bad guys.

I can't think of anything else right now!

[Jack7]

I like Gill's ideas Rich. Perhaps they could be involved in a number of different criminal activities because criminals, especially organized ones, often are.

For instance any individual, group, or organization that would involve themselves in a protection racket and/or a blackmail scheme would be likely involved in a whole host of criminal activities, anything profitable enough to warrant interest.

A related set of activities might include smuggling, extortion (not just for blackmail in the typical sense, but for favors, influence, etc.), shell companies (merchant activities and shipping companies) and fronting schemes, etc.

Another thing they might be involved in would be allowing or covering for an espionage or spy ring. Something that would be dangerous to the authorities but that an organization like the GS might have ties with. For instance a bazaar would naturally both attract and give cover to (foreign merchants would abound) spies. The GS might have ties with such spies, or even spy groups, maybe even cover them, and then use "fake extortion rackets" so that both groups, the GS, and the spies, tend to benefit in order to finance their operations.

A spy becomes involved with a Khanduq merchant which the GS then says they know about. (They know about it cause they secretly helped plant the initial contacts through a third party or a disguised member of their own party.)

The spy pays money to the merchant to let him operate but the GS then blackmails the merchant threatening to send him up to the authorities. The GS uses the blackmail to recover the money the spy has paid, thus reimbursing the spy while still allowing him to operate, and they blackmail for more than the spy paid in order to cover their own cut of the racket. the merchant is out money for both but is unaware of the relationship between the spy or spies and the GS.

This could lead to a lot of interesting role play opportunities. For instance the merchant or merchants could hire their own "protection" or even spies or undercover operatives to track their enemies and discover what is really going on.

Very nice pics of Istanbul by the way, especially the Hippodrome, the Cistern, and the Blue Mosque.

My own setting is very Constantinople oriented (on our world anyway) and so I liked your photos.

[RichGreen]

Hi Gilladian & Jack7 -- thanks for the cool suggestions! I've just started running Wrath of the River King (session write up to follow) so I've got a bit of time to develop a Golden Scimitars adventure for when the PCs return and can incorporate your ideas.

Originally Posted by Jack7

Very nice pics of Istanbul by the way, especially the Hippodrome, the Cistern, and the Blue Mosque.

My own setting is very Constantinople oriented (on our world anyway) and so I liked your photos.

Thanks! Just checked out your setting - very cool stuff.

Totally agree on the Byzantium 1200 website - really useful stuff. I bought a great book done by the people who did the site when I was in Istanbul which I'm going to use to help describe some of the key locations in the Imperial Quarter.

Cheers


Richard

[RichGreen]

Here's what happened in Monday night's session when we kicked off Wrath of the River King:

25th Maius contd
The party takes an extended rest after the exhausting battle with the vine horrors. Refreshed, the PCs decide, at last, to brave the Monkey Temple where the little feyshore monkeys gather round the party, climbing all over them. One grabs Sharden’s wand and runs off with it; another snatches Krivinn’s necklace with Bahamut’s symbol (the one he was given by the Water Boys as a reward). Sharden blasts the two culprits with grasping shards but three others jump on his arm and throw off his aim. Krivinn breathes on a group of monkeys, killing four and horrifying Sreedhar who shouts out that the creatures are sacred to Hanuman. The dragonborn decides to try a different tack and heads for the temple door as Sharden runs after the two thieves who have leapt into the trees. Margarita and Brave Ella follow the dwarf.

Krivinn goes inside the temple and addresses Hanuman’s statue, explaining his anger at having his precious necklace stolen. The god doesn’t reply but Krivinn leaves him several offerings nonetheless: Ashna’s greenstone hippo, a silver shuriken and a blessed sling. As he kneels down before the idol he spots a loose flagstone – lifting it up he finds a pair of red leather gloves emblazoned with Hanuman’s face.

Meanwhile, the others are chasing the two monkeys. Dashing after them, Sharden blasts the little animals with grasping shards, killing them both. Krivinn’s necklace gets caught on a branch but the invoker’s wand falls out the tree and into the arms of another feyshore monkey who runs off with it! Margarita climbs the tree and manages to retrieve the necklace while Ella and Sharden chase after the wand. Eventually, they catch up with the monkey and Ella is able to coax it down from the treetops. It drops the wand at the PCs’ feet, holding its hands out for food.

Back at the temple, Krivinn carries all the dead monkeys inside but soon brings them back out again when the other monkeys start screeching at him. Instead, he buries the little bodies in the ground. With the burial complete and their items recovered, the PCs beat a hasty retreat from the immediate vicinity and rest for the night.


26th Maius
The PCs divide up the treasure and give Sreedhar his cut – the scholar takes the gold and gems and leaves the party with the magic items they’ve found. Saying farewell to Sreedhar as he returns to Parsantium, the PCs head for the village of Riverbend to take Mahadevi home.

Towards the end of the day, the PCs arrive at the village mill – across the other side of the dam, two beautiful horses drink from the pond watched by an eladrin knight in green armour and his squire. As the party approach, the knight leaps into his saddle and shouts “Which of you dares cross water guarded by the servants of the River King? None shall pass the river without defeating me first.” He rides on to the dam and challenges Krivinn. Sharden casts offer of justice and then the knight charges the dragonborn paladin. The others ignore (or just don’t get) the principles of single combat and get stuck in. Margarita leads the attack, cutting off the Green Knight’s head and is somewhat surprised when it grows back! Sharden then pushes Sir Oberest into the stream with thunder of judgement. Illisfan the squire uses fey step to appear behind Ella and Sharden as the Green Knight uses his entangling blade to restrain Krivinn after fey stepping back on to the dam. Margarita bull rushes the knight into the water for a second time but the squire is able to knock Sharden in too with his bashing shield. Ella shoots Illisfan, killing him, as the Green Knight flees, chased by Krivinn who takes him down. Sir Oberest’s horse runs off but Margarita manages to grab hold of the squire’s so that Ella can leap on its back. The elf ranger rides round on it for a while but the horse is just lulling her into a false sense of security. While the others search the two eladrin’s bodies, the fey horse steps through the mists and then runs off. Margarita takes the squire’s bashing shield which is decorated with a golden bee on a green field.

The PCs carry on into the village, unimpressed by the welcome they’ve received so far from the people of Riverbend. Outside the Golden Knight Tavern, a crowd is gathered. The PCs talk to the men and women, learning that a talking bear and a gang of satyrs are running riot inside the bar. There is also some talk about Hamid the miller murdering his eladrin wife but the party decide to deal with one issue at a time. Krivinn strides inside the tavern and starts trying to reason with the satyrs. He does well initially but ends up antagonizing the fey who attack. The bear’s fierce roar causes Krivinn and Margarita a lot of trouble, making it hard for them to attack the beast in melee. The satyrs taunt the party, whirling around the taproom and jabbing with their spears. It’s a very tough battle which spills outside into the street. Both Krivinn and Margarita end up bloodied but the PCs are eventually able to kill four of the satyrs and to drive off the fifth one and Redcoat the feyborn bear.

Any comments?


Richard

[Garthanos]

The Dragonborns actions really made the monkey scene come to life for me... amid the semi standard kill the monkey D&D response

[Gilladian]

I really like the fairytale/legendary elements you worked in. I'm running a city campaign right now, and I'm trying to imagine working a "green knight's challenge" in; I can't imagine how I'd do that in an urban setting....

[RichGreen]

Originally Posted by Garthanos

The Dragonborns actions really made the monkey scene come to life for me... amid the semi standard kill the monkey D&D response

Thanks - it was a lot of fun to play.

Cheers


Richard

[RichGreen]

Originally Posted by Gilladian

I really like the fairytale/legendary elements you worked in. I'm running a city campaign right now, and I'm trying to imagine working a "green knight's challenge" in; I can't imagine how I'd do that in an urban setting....

Thanks - I wrote all the forest ruins stuff but the Green Knight and talking bears/satyr encounter are from Wrath of the River King by Wolfgang Baur. Maybe you could look at a trip outside your city? My campaign will be back within Parsantium's walls after this adventure.

Cheers


Richard

[RichGreen]

Hi,

Been thinking about this while I've been away for a few days.

I'd like to start the adventure with the PCs being hired by Dulicitus the playwright to look into the activities of Iancu Petronas, his avant-garde arch-rival. Dulicitus will take the PCs to the theatre to see one of Petronas' (excellent) plays and get them interested by implying that Iancu is "connected" to the Old Quarter's criminal fraternity. Hopefully the PCs will be able to find enough dirt on the young upstart to discredit him ahead of the winter Aymaran Festivities.

During the course of the adventure, the PCs will spy on Iancu Petronas and his friends as they carouse their way throughout the Old Quarter, drinking, gambling and whoring. It will become apparent that the playwright himself just likes a good time, but that one or two members of his entourage are involved with the Golden Scimitars. At a meeting at the bathhouse, the PCs gain a few leads into the current activities of the criminal gang and are able to follow these in order to put a spanner in the works - these activities could be as per Gilladian's or Jack7's suggestions.

That's as far as I've got so far. Any comments?

Cheers


Richard

[RichGreen]

Hi,

A few more ideas on the Golden Scimitars adventure - what the organization is up to, and some possible encounters for the PCs to get mixed up in using suggestions from Gilladian and Jack7. I need to work out how to get to these from the initial set up though...

Background

The Golden Scimitars are planning on expanding their territory from the Old Quarter’s Dock and Poor Wards into the Makers Ward. By siding with different guilds and families against their rivals, the organization is able to gain influence over some important factions in the Old Quarter. Their activities include supporting their allies in the ward’s frequent street fights, blackmail and extortion. Zeno Meverel as Avishandu’s respectable faceman (and owner of numerous businesses in the Poor Ward) is leading the charge on this initiative.

Events

1. At the bathhouse, the PCs witness a murder or something else they shouldn’t – perhaps a secret meeting in the steam room.

2. The PCs need to report in regularly to Dulicitus and co. at the Golden Bean Tree coffee house in the Khanduq of the Nightingale’s Song. While meeting their patron, the PCs are witness to a visit from heavies seeking to extort protection money from Yasmina. The Golden Scimitars have already got the Blue Monkey and many of the artists running stalls in the khaduq on their list of “clients”.

3. The PCs get caught up in a street fight between two rival guilds or families. They can intervene on one side or the other, help the City Watch break up the fight or keep well clear

4. Kaham al-Vizhon, proprietor at the White Palm tavern – a popular meeting place for influential Old Quarter merchants – is having an affair with Beatus, an actor and friend of Iancu Petronas, behind his wife’s back¬. The Golden Scimitars have found out and are blackmailing Kaham. The hapless barkeep has been forced to install a pair of Golden Scimitar spies on the staff so they can keep an eye on guild goings-on.

Any comments?

Cheers


Richard

[Gilladian]

All of them sound interesting. How are the PCs going to get mixed up in Kaham's trouble? Will they maybe dine at the White Palm and recognize an enemy on the staff? Or Kaham might ask his "old friend" Dulicitis to recommend someone that can help him "with a problem"?

[RichGreen]

Originally Posted by Gilladian

All of them sound interesting. How are the PCs going to get mixed up in Kaham's trouble? Will they maybe dine at the White Palm and recognize an enemy on the staff? Or Kaham might ask his "old friend" Dulicitis to recommend someone that can help him "with a problem"?

Both good ideas - thanks! I had been thinking the PCs might spot Kaham arguing with someone from the Golden Scimitars over installing their spies on the staff but either of these would work better.

I'll post the outline I've done so far later.

Cheers


Richard

[Jack7]

I like a lot of your ideas Rich, and I like what Gill suggested.

Some thoughts that occurred to me.

1. At the bathhouse, the PCs witness a murder or something else they shouldn’t – perhaps a secret meeting in the steam room.

At the bathhouse they might view events which seem perfectly innocuous, though somewhat strange or out of the ordinary. Only later do they find a body, or the appearance of a murder without the corpus or corpora delicti, but with plenty of supporting evidence that something very bad, maybe even brutal happened. Then they would have to figure out what exactly occurred based upon their own observations and some investigative work. The crime might have been real and would then lead them to a suspect or suspects (involving the wider storyline), or it might have been a plant or a set-up in order to lure them into a trap or along a false trail.

Another thing I thought of regarding the bathhouse. Suppose there is the common or public bath and smaller areas for private patrons or clients. The PCs may have been allowed access to the private areas only to discover that the water they are bathing in is full of small but poisonous serpents, toads, fish, perhaps even water insects or arachnids. (Which they only discover after disrobing and entering the water, which might be cloudy from mineral or warm springs.)

Then again they might find that the water they bathe in is filled with a powerful contact drug or hallucinogen, which they can absorb through their skin.

2. The PCs need to report in regularly to Dulicitus and co. at the Golden Bean Tree coffee house in the Khanduq of the Nightingale’s Song. While meeting their patron, the PCs are witness to a visit from heavies seeking to extort protection money from Yasmina. The Golden Scimitars have already got the Blue Monkey and many of the artists running stalls in the khaduq on their list of “clients”.

The PCs might discover that there is a split among the Scimitars. That there is a young, brash, popular fellow in the group who is peeling away work from the main group, and that he had originally done so clandestinely, but is now working openly. It could lead to an interesting role play situation, and an opportunity for the PCs to insert a man into the break-always, or to somehow work the two groups against each other. As the group seeks to expand operations into new areas this would be a perfect time for a split as one faction seeks to expand cautiously and without stirring up a lot of new enemies, but the younger or more ambitious man seeks to his old leaders, grab power for himself, or maybe even start his own rival criminal organization.

3. The PCs get caught up in a street fight between two rival guilds or families. They can intervene on one side or the other, help the City Watch break up the fight or keep well clear

This situation reminded me of a device I often use called the Counterparty. I'm gonna write up a thread about it in another forum but basically the idea is a party who are rivals to the party you are running in your game (the party of your players). It doesn't have to be a direct one to one correspondence, but the rival party does have to be either adversaries or in direct competition with the PCs. For instance here is a Party (of my players), and here is that party's Counterparty. If the counterparty is filled with generally friendly competitors, then they are Rivals. If they are dangerous rivals then they are Adversaries. If they are sworn or blood enemies then I call them Nemeses. Of course these categories of competition can change or alter over time.

I'm not speaking of the Scimitars though they could potentially employ the Counterparty or the counterparty could even be enemies of the Scimitars. To the PCs the counterparty could be potential rivals, adversaries, nemeses, or even unlikely allies.

In any case I think this situation is perfect for the counterparty.

4. Kaham al-Vizhon, proprietor at the White Palm tavern – a popular meeting place for influential Old Quarter merchants – is having an affair with Beatus, an actor and friend of Iancu Petronas, behind his wife’s back¬. The Golden Scimitars have found out and are blackmailing Kaham. The hapless barkeep has been forced to install a pair of Golden Scimitar spies on the staff so they can keep an eye on guild goings-on.

You know the party could be victims of the same basic tactic. The Scimitars find out about the party, how they operate, who they normally protect and like, work with, etc. Then they plant a person, maybe an orphan or girl who needs help, and the party seeks to help them. All of the time the scimitars are using the plant to spy upon the party so as to anticipate their moves, etc. Another interesting role play opportunity and another set of mysteries as the PCs try and figure out who is leaking info or how they are being anticipated or thwarted.


Get luck Rich. You've got a really interesting and well developed world and setting. Your players probably have an awful lot of fun when you guys play.

[RichGreen]

Jack,

Thanks for all your suggestions!


Richard

[RichGreen]

Hi,

Here's what happened in this week's session - second part of Wrath of the River King.

26th Maius

With the bear and satyrs dealt with the PCs demand that the tavern-keeper, Nikola, takes them to the barn where the miller is being held prisoner. Pellham the guard won’t let them inside so the party go to see Kemal, the village muhtar (headman) who is convinced of Hamid’s guilt despite a lack of any real evidence. Margarita, Ella and Sharden go to the mill pond to see if they can find a body while Krivinn goes to talk to Hamid.

At the mill pond, the PCs run into a strangely-dressed tiefling who introduces himself as “the god-king Koh-Bar”; he claims to be searching for clues leading to a sect with a twisted draconic symbol – Sharden recognises his as the mark of the Twisted Rune. The dwarf goes off to tell Krivinn of the new arrival while Margarita dives into the pond. The genasi can’t find the missing miller’s wife but she does spot a millstone marked with elven runes on the bottom. Krivinn, meanwhile, has been speaking to the confused Hamid who begs for help from the party in finding his missing wife whom he believes has been dragged back to the Feywild by goblins after the two of them argued.

The dragonborn goes to the mill with Sharden where Ella and Koh-Bar are continuing to argue. Koh-Bar heads into the village and goes to the Golden Knight where he frightens one of the villagers. The others go inside the mill and meet a young boy with blond hair who calls himself Flax and says he’s the miller’s son. His story is confusing and the PCs don’t think he’s telling them the (whole) truth. Krivinn goes back to see Kemal again and gets the muhtar to agree to let the PCs investigate Ellessandra’s disappearance thoroughly over the next couple of days before trying Hamid.

By this time it’s starting to get dark so all the PCs go back to the mill. Koh-Bar stays outside, lights a bonfire and declares that the mill and the surrounding area are safe from monsters and evil. Then he goes to sleep. Inside, Sharden fails to pick the lock to the counting room and triggers the magic mouth so Ella kicks the door in. Rest for the night –Margarita falls asleep while she’s meant to be on watch. When she wakes up, Flax is nowhere to be seen.


27th Maius

First Margarita, then Ella and Krivinn swim down into the millpond and pass into the Feywild. After some dithering, Sharden and Koh-Bar tie themselves together and jump in afterwards.

The PCs find themselves under the waters of a rushing river in the Feywild. All five manage to get their heads above water but struggle to get out of the current and lose various bits of their gear. Ella loses a boot and Margarita loses her waterskin in the churning waters but Sharden suffers the most, losing his ritual scroll of eye of alarm, his quarterstaff, his boot (with concealed thieves tools) and his hat. Koh-Bar loses his backpack but more importantly, his “gold” crown. Krivinn and Ella grab hold of a log and Margarita who has made it to the bank helps them out by throwing a rope. However, Sharden and Koh-Bar, both poor swimmers, are still floundering in the water and look to be heading over a waterfall. Desperate situations sometimes call for desperate solutions. Brave Ella uses split the tree to fire arrows with ropes tied to the ends into both PCs – Koh-Bar makes a salmon leap out of the water to make sure she hits him. The two hapless PCs take 19 hp damage each (which drops Koh-Bar to 2 hp!) but they are able to grab hold of the ropes and are dragged to safety just in time to avoid going over the falls.

The damp and gravely injured PCs are tended to by Margarita’s inspiring words of healing but as they rest briefly, the waters start to churn – over a dozen large eel-like creatures are slithering towards the river bank!

Cheers


Richard

[RichGreen]

Hi,

Here's my write up of Monday night's game :

27th Maius (contd)
Confronted by the baying pack of eel hounds, Brave Ella climbs up the grassy bank where she can take potshots at them, but Krivinn, Koh-Bar and Margarita soon find themselves surrounded by frenzied eels and slipping all over the place on the muddy shore. Koh-Bar goes unconscious from multiple slithering bites. To rescue the tiefling, Krivinn lays hands on him, then throws him up the bank. Meanwhile, the pack leader has eel-spat at Ella twice and then closes to attack her at close quarters. Koh-Bar uses his thunder leap to jump back into the action, misses three out of four eel hounds, ends up unconscious again and then fails two death saves before being healed by Krivinn. Margarita revives Ella who is being attacked by the leader and then slays the beast after it’s bloodied by Krivinn. Weary from their travails, the PCs head up the creek to find somewhere to rest for the night as it’s getting dark.

The party set up camp – Ella talks about building a fire but using this word seems to freak out Koh-Bar who runs off into the woods, ranting and raving. While he’s gone, Ella makes her small fire. Koh-Bar spots a man of leaves in the trees and returns to the others but Krivinn says the word “fire” again, causing the sorcerer to run off again. When he comes back for a second time, Krivinn sets him off for a third time, then Sharden does. Eventually the PCs stop tormenting the tiefling as twigs in their campfire start screaming and writhing around as if in agony! Krivinn grabs several twigs out of the flames, burning himself in the process, and then lays hands on the sticks in an effort to heal them. The party don’t light another fire and Sharden uses a scroll to cast magic mouth to guard the campsite.

The PCs settle down to rest but Ella’s watch is disturbed by a flock of owls swooping and diving through the camp. Fortunately the others get back to sleep and the party manages to take an extended rest.


Feywild, Day 2

The PCs continue to follow the creek upstream, running into a group of fey and their two hunting boars. They refuse to bow down and swear fealty to the eladrin so battle ensues. The Black Fey runners turn invisible and blind the PCs with their feyshot wands while the boars charge Krivinn and Margarita and the witch surrounds herself in a shadowy aura. After a tough battle where the PCs don’t know where to target with their powers, the PCs are victorious but two of the Black Fey runners manage to escape.

Any comments? Koh-Bar the sorcerer is played by someone who likes changing characters regularly and playing flawed PCs. In Red Hand of Doom, he playing a blind monk with a talking guide dog!

Cheers


Richard

[RichGreen]

Hi,

This is long overdue to be posted, but I've had no time to work on this recently. This outline doesn't yet incorporate most of the cool suggestions from Gilladian and Jack7.

Day 1
1. The PCs are back in Parsantium and receive a messenger snake with tickets for the theatre
2. Meet Dulicitus & friends at the play, adventure briefing
3. Follow Iancu & friends after the play to the Winking Vixen -- some kind of skill challenge to do this? Need to make it so all PCs are involved if possible.
• Need names & descriptions for the actors – Iancu, Beatus, Francio plus three or four others.
• Chance to hear/see Zeno arguing with Eusebia over the accounts
4. Follow Iancu & friends home to their lodgings in the Aymara Sabban in the early hours of the morning

Day 2
5. Iancu & friends meet for late breakfast/lunch at the Golden Bean Tree.
• Yasmina is threatened by thugs from the Golden Scimitars – PCs get the chance to run these thugs off
• Chance to notice that Francio and thugs seem to recognise each other
6. After the play, Iancu and friends go to Fahil’s – Beatus goes to meet Kaham.
• Spot Francio first meeting XXX of the Golden Scimitars to get instructions, and then buying drugs
• Fahil may take an interest in the PCs (especially if they’ve been here before or have a reputation)
• Might see Glyn Merryfield losing money
• Chance to spot Zeno?

Day 3
7. Iancu & friends meet for late breakfast/lunch at the Golden Bean Tree. Francio isn’t present, Beatus is showing off a new piece of jewellery (a gift from Kaham)
8. Street fight encounter
• Masons vs potters
• Masons seem to have extra back-up – they do, from the Golden Scimitars – and the potters are getting thrashed
• The bells ring for the City Watch
• PCs have a chance to recognise Francio in a hood, and also one or two NPCs from the City Attack encounter (2b)
• What can the PCs find out here by interrogating Francio, potters or masons?
9. The PCs need to report in to Dulicitus and are to meet him at the White Palm <use map in KQ #10>
• Chance to spot Kaham arguing with Golden Scimitars thugs over installing spies on the staff
• Maybe Zeno is present, meeting with a guild head (perhaps even Bahram Peroz but probably best not)
10. After the play, Iancu and friends head to the Flaming Vixen
• May recognise Firmina from Orloch’s slave market
• Chance to encounter the sinister Marcus Hape <Elder Evils>?
• Francio looks beaten up a bit

Day 4
11. Iancu & friends meet for late breakfast/lunch at the Golden Bean Tree.
• Possible return of GS extortion crew?
12. Bathhouse
• Iancu and his friends go to the baths <use map in Backdrops>
• Thuggee/GS killers attempt to murder Bahram Peroz, Speaker of the Guild of Weavers and Dyers. PCs should try and stop the killers.
• If they succeed, Bahram will be able to explain quite a bit of what’s been going on – he turned down an offer of “help” from Zeno Meverel and his “organization”, that the Golden Scimitars are trying to gain control of the Ward etc
• If Bahram is killed, the PCs will need to get the information from elsewhere!
13. Eusebia is murdered – how do the PCs find out?

By this stage, the PCs have probably sussed out the following:
- Iancu isn’t really involved in any crime but Francio and, indirectly, Beatus are.
- Zeno & the Golden Scimitars are trying to take control of the Makers Ward
- Zeno owns the Winking Vixen and Fahil’s Floating Palace so someone in these locations can probably point them in the right direction.
- Hints from Naelere if required – maybe in a different guise here. Deva?
- His legitimate office above the Winking Vixen is abandoned but the PCs can find a secret door and hidden staircase leading down into the Hidden Quarter.

The climax of the adventure would take place in Zeno Meverel's Hidden Quarter hideout:

This is in the tunnels of the Hidden Quarter and is accessible from the Winking Vixen. The PCs can make their way there and deal with Zeno and his crew.
• One encounter en route, using sewer tiles.
• Hideout is located in well-preserved building(s) of former old city? Bits of old Dhak Janjua architecture?
• Three or four encounters (?) in hideout – traps and NPCs/monsters
• Clues in the underground hideout will drop more obscure hints about Avishandu.


Any comments?

Cheers


Richard