Replacing the Mission to Thay
In the interest of keeping my RoT posts in one place, I'm just posting this here. I'll place links in the other places.
Earlier I placed a complete tansformation of my work on the Jotunmoot. It was more work than I thought it'd be to translate it over, and frankly most of the work was in the stat blocks, which can be easily generated. So for efficiency (and my sanity's sake) I'll just be posting without the complete stat blocks, just listing the compositions of the encounters, and only providing notes on the monsters themselves.
I call this section of the arc:
Off to See the Wizards
Part 1. The Ritualist
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The ritualist is hiding in Candlekeep. Once a frequent visitor, he has now joined the ranks of the Avowed, and has advanced to the rank of Scribe.
The characters face the following challenges:
- acquiring the entrance-gift
- arranging to find the ritualist - the Avowed adopt aliases upon entrance, and the ritualist is afraid that Thayan Wizards or their agents, will be seeking him out to take his life.
- speaking of Thayan Wizards, they do maintain an agent here, and once the characters manage to expose the ritualist she will summon a strike team. Said strike team will not pursue beyond the Court of Air.
- the cultists, by this point, are actively watching the characters. They too, have a strike team nearby. They will attack to prevent the characters from talking to the ritualist - they will also pursue into the Library itself.
The Players
Mero Ganim, the Scribe; Wizard(Transmuter) 14, CR 11 (7200 xp).
Rostek Hospod, the Thayan's Agent; Rogue(Assassin) 15, CR 11 (7200 xp)
The Thayan Strike Team; CR 21 (30300 xp)
- Archmage
- 2 Chain Devils
- Horned Devil
- 3 Red Wizards
The Cultist Strike Team; CR 19 (21300 xp)
- Dragonsoul
- 3 Dragonfangs
- Half-green dragon assassin
- Half-red dragon gladiator
- Mezzoloth
- Nycaloth
Candlekeep's Gatewardens; CR 13 (8900 xp)
- Khristos Primo; Dwarf Paladin(Oath of Vengenance) 11, CR 9 (5000 xp)
- Knight
- Mage
- 2 Priests
Khristos, as the leader of the Gatewardens, also has a number of Lair Actions available to him.
Once per round, Khristos can summon aid from the watchers along the walls and in the towers. On his command, they provide one of the following:
- Focus Fire:The archers on the wall focus fire on a single target, as indicated by Khristos. The target takes 18 (5d6) piercing damage. (Many more arrows miss.)
- Volley Fire: The archers on the wall spread their attacks across every hostile target in the Court of Air or the Entrance Yard. Each target takes 1d6 piercing damage.
- Conjure Elemental (1/day): The highest ranking priest in the tower will cast Conjure Elemental for Khristos, summoning an Earth Elemental.
- Conjure Minor Elemental (3/day): Other priests in the towers can be called on to cast Conjure Minor Elemental on Khristos' behalf. The following will be summoned in sequence: 4 Magma Mephits, 8 Mud Mephits, 2 Fire Snakes.
Reward
Advantage on any roll to disrupt or analyze the rituals involved in summoning the temple and Tiamat herself. Additionally, with the information in hand, any character may add their proficiency bonus to the Arcana rolls, even if already proficient.
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This is intended to be a RP-heavy section, hence the light detailing. As a general note, I've found that adding 10 hit dice to a PC-classed monster brings their CR into rough line. Generally, though, damage output is a bigger problem, especially if the PC is a spellcaster without a lot of direct damage. Then you just have to WAG their threat level. As for the Lair Actions (I love that concept!), yes, those arrow attack don't involve a to hit roll - there are a sufficient number of archers on the wall, that I felt this was the best way to model their capability. After all, assuming a +5 to hit for the archers, you'll only need 20-30 (on average) to get 5d8 on a single target, something I felt was quite reasonable. As for the group CRs, remember that the party is supposed to be 13th-or 14th level, and that this isn't part of a standard adventuring day. (I'm also GM'ing a party of 6 savvy players, who generally perform tactically well. I'm more worried that the combat is a little too easy on them.)
Part 2. Revealing the Masks
Szass Tam's rule sent large numbers of Thayan wizards and scholars fleeing from his rule. Many of those possessed extremely rare books and knowledge. Of particular interest to the Alliance are the three Thayan exiles who each own one of the three surviving copies of "An Avatar's Tools: The Histories of Divine Artifacts Through the Ages". According to the information discovered by the Harpers and the Arcane Brotherhood, this book details other appearances of the Dragon Masks in Faerun. The Harpers are also certain that the Cult doesn't know this. The character's mission is to retrieve these books or the wizards before the cult discovers them.
The three wizards are located in Waterdeep, Neverwinter, and Luskan.
Waterdeep
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The wizard in Waterdeep is known as the Wizard of the Red-Feathered Hood. He makes his living as an information broker and investigator. He also has the reputation of being extremely ... cautious ... *cough*paranoid*cough* in arranging his contacts, and in conducting his investigations. No-one is known to have ever met him in person, and the few times he's been caught in public, the person under the hood has never been a wizard at all - an actor, an urchin, and a peasant, but not the wizard.
However, the contacts all start with reading the posting board by the Yawning Portal.
A notice on the posting board will lead to the next step. From there, lead the characters on a wild goose chase - except the goose is a disguised snipe. In short, the contact will always have been hired/given their instructions anonymously, and doesn't know who they'll meet next, they just have instructions for the next link. Sometimes, even that's misdirection - the Red-Feathered Hood has been known to use pickpockets to leave instructions on people's persons that the next contact tells them to look for. Sometimes, the contact is just an instruction. Characters who try to back-track the chain find themselves following another chain of instructions. Feel free to send the characters to *every* single ward of Waterdeep as part of the chain.
Eventually, the characters will be able to negotiate a price for the book. The wizard will discount the price if their antics amuse him. He'll also raise the price if the characters try to backtrack the chain, or otherwise annoy him. The starting price is 750 gp. The Red-Feathered Hood isn't interested in joining the Arcane Brotherhood or the Alliance. Once purchased, the characters will discover that the book is Volume 2 of 3. The other wizards must have the other volumes.
If the characters are not dealing with the Red-Feathered Hood first, the cultists are likely to have discovered the character's activity, and will be following them. In which case, the Red-Feathered Hood is likely to arrange one or more nasty surprises for the cultists (and for the characters if they don't enter the fight against the cultists). Aiding the cultists will have the Red-Feathered Hood end all discussions.
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That's right, I didn't stat the Wizard of the Red-Feathered Hood. The PCs are supposed to meet him at all. In fact, my aim here is to make them paranoid and suspicious of how he always is one-to-two steps ahead of them. The ultimate answer is paranoid Divination specialist with a Charlatan background. If I was to stat him I'd make him a Wizard(Divination) 20, but I wouldn't place him any lower than 13th, to keep him in line with the others. Before you stat him, though I'd keep in mind on of the unwritten rules of GM'ing: If you stat it, your players will kill it. This guy isn't intended to be an actual opponent. In fact this entire scenario could even be played for laughs.
Neverwinter
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The Thayan exile in Neverwinter is the wizardess Sanura Hadad. She is known for her protective and time-keeping magics, and for her avid interest in history. She's authored a number of highly regarded scholarly essays on history, but she makes her living selling magical timepieces. She insists that these are not enchanted, or permanent.
She's also known to be a bit reclusive. She rarely leaves her well-known home, a walled mansion in the Bluelake District with a view of the Neverwinter River. The mansion is also known to be very well defended and protected. This is not unexpected considering that she established her presence before Lord Neverember's rise, some thirteen years ago. (She'll correct that number to 12 years, 7 months, and 9 days if mentioned in her presence.)
Arranging a peaceful meeting to discuss purchasing the book (Volume 3 of 3) is relatively easy. The meeting will be held in a specially-reinforced room at the front of the mansion, with Hadad attending via Simularum. If the characters investigate, they'll discover :
- that the room is designed to channel explosions to the front wall, which is not reinforced (Architecture, DC 12)
- that the wizard's desk in the room is protected by a number of spells (Spellcraft DC 16)
- that the other furniture of the room is also spelled (Spellcraft DC 19)
- that there are a number of mundane traps located about the room (Investigation DC 21)
If confronted with any of this information, the Wizardess Hadad responds:
"Not all of my potential clients are as peaceful or honest as I would like. I protect myself. Of course, this is all most unimportant, as you are both, are you not?"
She will reluctantly part with her copy of the book for 2400 gp. She'll also attempt to sell the characters some magical timepieces. She's also the most knowledgeable about the contents of the three volumes, and while she can't give definitive answers, she certainly could if the characters brought the other two volumes to her for consultation.
Characters who decide to try to acquire the book on their own are entering the lair of a paranoid high-level abjurer who has reason to fear for her life, and has spent 12 years, 7 months, and 9 days making a living with a high-end business in a lawless city. Her mansion is under a permanent Mordenkainen's Private Sanctum (preventing divination, teleportation, and planar travel), trapped, and aside from a few warn-aways and subdual traps (mostly along the mansion walls), her traps are designed to be as lethal as possible. Sanura is a firm believer in the adage "there is no such thing as overkill". Where needed, she's even reinforced the mansion to be able to deal with her traps structurally. For the most part, she also doesn't believe her traps should have a disarm option or a minimum safe distance (again, she's reinforced the mansion). Where this isn't an option (for instance, in her bedroom, or her workshop, or her safe), the disarm trigger is itself the subject of a trap, and that trap is usually protected by a glyph or symbol keyed only to her. She also habitually wears enough protections that she can, if needed, trigger her own traps to eliminate her opponents.
If she is the first visit, the characters encounter no other complications. If the characters visit her last, she'll be annoyed, as the cult has tried to penetrate her defenses, and suffered lethal failures. If she is the second visit, the characters will get to watch the spectacle as the cult tries to enter the mansion after their visit. If the characters decide to try and assault the mansion, the cult (or some local fools) try before they can, suffering the same deadly fate.
Sanura Hadad; Wizard(Abjurer) 16, CR 9 (5000 xp)
Lair Actions
Once per turn, Sanura Hadad can activate a glyph or symbol. Each glyph or symbol can only be activated once per room, and she must move if she wishes to activate more than one per room. Activating these glyphs or symbols does not break her concentration. Her options are:
- Glyph of Fire: everyone in the room barring Sanura Hadad and anyone directly adjacent to her takes 10d8 fire damage.
- Glyph of Acid: as Glyph of Fire, but 10d8 acid damage.
- Glyph of Cold: as Glyph of Fire, but 10d8 cold damage.
- Glyph of Lightning: as Glyph of Fire, but 10d8 lightning damage.
- Glyph of Thunder: as Glyph of Fire, but 10d8 thunder damage.
- Glyph of Prismatic Spray: as the spell.
- Glyph of Color Spray: as the spell, 20d10 hit points.
- Symbol of Death: DC 18 Constitution saving throw, die or 10d10 necrotic damage.
- Symbol of Hopelessness: DC 18 Charisma saving throw, or incapacitated with despair for 1 minute.
- Symbol of Insanity: DC 18 Intelligence saving throw or insane for one minute.
- Symbol of Pain: DC 18 Constitution saving throw or incapacitated with pain for 1 minute.
- Symbol of Sleep: Dc 18 Wisdom saving throw, or unconscious for 10 minutes.
- Symbol of Stunning: DC 18 Wisdom saving throw, or stunned for 1 minute.
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Yes, those lair actions are for *EVERY* room in the house. Not that I expect it'll matter, as if it comes to combat, it's sure to be over quickly. But if you really feel like staging a running battle through her mansion, feel free. Be sure to add LOTS more traps that she'll lure/manuever her assailants into.
Luskan
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Luskan
The Thayan exile in Luskan is the Sea-Wizard Kontar Bahar. He's attached himself to the power structure in Luskan as a member of Ship Taerl, and also serves as a Magistrate of Luskan. His primary responsibility is to help Taerl and help serve as a counter to the Arcane Brotherhood for the Ships as a whole. He is a very visible presence in the city, along with his guards, the semi-retired remnants of an adventuring company known as the Opened Fist.
He's the least knowledgeable about the book - in fact, he didn't even know he had it, as it was part of a lot he purchased from an older wizard's estate. He is however, able to recognize the import of the volume, and thus won't part for it for less than 5,000 gp. Or the characters could do him a favor. Ship Taerl wants to rebuild the Upstream Span, and reopen the Mirabar trade route along Blackford Road. But right now, the span is control of various street gangs and monsters, and Taerl just doesn't have the strength to spare to clear it. Maintain it, yes, but not clear it. If the characters are willing to do that, he'll gladly give them the book.
Enc: Kontar Bahar; CR 15 (12200 xp)
- Kontar Bahar, the Sea-Wizard; Wizard(Evoker) 15, CR 9 (5000 xp)
- Darion Penna; Monk (Open Hand) 7, CR 5 (1800 xp)
- Fedor Stratos; Monk (Shadow) 7, CR 5 (1800 xp)
- Zera Petrou; Monk (Elements) 7, CR 5 (1800 xp)
- Hyacith Polites; Bard (Valor) 7, CR 5 (1800 xp)
Kontar and his company should be built around tactical synergy. The monks and bard especially should all be big team players, and use lots of tricks to support themselves and their allies. (E.g. At one point, I considered giving Hyacith Hallucinatory Terrain, so she could appear to summon a thick fog, and place the surroundings into a dim light condition.) They aren't a real threat to the party, but can probably trounce almost anything else in the city, barring the Shiplords and the drow underlords.
To complicate matters, if this is the third volume being recovered by the characters, the cult will have planted rumors that the Thayans have hired the characters to deal with Kontar Bahar. As a first visit, there are no complications. As a second visit, the cultists will try to frame the characters for a theft from one of the ships. If the characters survive either Kontar or the frame-up, the cultists will attack them while the characters are still recovering.
Enc: Luskan Cultists; CR 11 (5950 xp)
- Thirel the Cunning; Rogue(Thief) 9, CR 6 (2300 xp)
- Dragonfang
- Dragonwing
- 2 Dragonclaws
- 10 Thugs
The cultists are woefully underpowered compared to the party. But Thirel is a powerful "face" rogue, and might just be able to talk his way out of the character's clutches, if they catch him. He's a big proponent of "Let's you and him fight", and that's really the best option he has if facing the party.
Kontar's Favor
The Upstream Span is controlled by three gangs. The North Tower gang controls the tower gate on the north bank and two of the towers of the north wall. The South Tower gate is controlled by Kirat's Guard, and the span itself is controlled by a small band of rather intelligent scrags (aquatic trolls). The North Tower gang won't clear out without a fight, but if it's clear the characters could handle them (if say, they kill the scrags easily), the fight will only be a token. With a fair bit of persuasion (DC 23), they will agree to a peaceful restructuring under Ship Taerl's command. Kirat's Guard will agree to the peaceful solution much more readily (DC 16). The band of trolls will not agree, and must be eliminated.
Enc: North Tower Gang; CR 8 (2950 xp)
- Bandit Captain
- Veteran
- 18 Thugs
Enc: Kirat's Guard; CR 9 (4950 xp)
- Kirat (a Knight)
- Knight
- Berserker
- 20 Pikeman
Pikemen are Thugs with short swords, heavy crossbows, pikes, and shields. Basically, these guys are a well-trained peasant militia. They've also set up their barricade with lots of oil-soaked hay bales, stone drinking troughs full of oil, etc. Kirat and the knight even have access to a poison known as Trollbane (DC 20 Constitution save; no damage, but trolls are unable to regenerate for 4 (1d8) rounds.)
Enc: The Scrags on the Span; CR 16 (14400 xp)
- 5 Luskan Scrag; CR 6 (2300 xp)
- Margarth; CR 7 (2900 xp)
A Luskan Scrag is a scrag (aquatic troll) with maximum hit points, 17 AC, and pack tactics. Margarth is a scrag with 14 hit dice, maximum hit points, 17 AC, and pack tactics. His attack sequence is also different. His three attacks are claw, vicious chain, vicious chain. He also has a special action - Ripping Chain
Vicious Chain
A vicious chain is a chain, barbed along its entire length, capable of entangling its targets.
Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 15 ft., one target. Hit: 7 (1d6+4) slashing damage. DC 14 Dexterity saving throw or restrained. A restrained creature may make a saving throw every round; when freeing itself, it takes an additional 1d6 slashing damage.
Ripping Chain
If a medium or smaller creature is restrained by the Vicious Chain, Margarth can use the chain to spin them around, freeing them, dealing an addition 3d6+4 slashing damage, and granting their opponents advantage until the beginning of the creature's next turn.
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The Complete Book
If the characters have managed to collect all three volumes, they can glean they following information from them:
- The actual powers of each of the dragon masks (Investigation DC 15 and Arcana DC 15)
- Rituals on how to enhance the power of a dragon mask (Investigation DC 15 and Arcana 10)
- A way to forcibly extract a dragon mask from the joined Mask of the Dragon Queen (Investigation DC 20 and Arcana 25).
To forcibly extract a dragon mask, a priest of Bahamut must suppress the Mask of the Dragon Queen's magic, at the same time the dragon head that is to be removed takes 10*the number of heads in the crown of the opposing energy. The dragon mask will rejoin the Mask of the Dragon Queen the following round if it is not separated from the crown. (Opposing Energy: White = Fire, Black = Lightning, Green = Radiant, Blue = Acid, Red = Cold)
If Sanura Hadad is consulting, the characters have +5 on all Investigation checks, and advantage on all Arcana checks.
Rewards
3500 xp to each character for each Thayan exile they peacefully and legally acquire the book from. An additional 1500 xp if they manage to acquire all three volumes.
If the cultists manage to aquire some of the volumes, reduce the highest faction score by one for each volume the characters lose.
Edit: Spellcheck
